


I Do Love You

by jellyfish1816



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Arranged Marriage, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Please Forgive me, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, everyone is just happy, i love the idea of rich kid shownu, nobody really questions it okay, promise the rest of the guys will show up
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-12
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2019-11-14 08:19:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 25,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18048947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jellyfish1816/pseuds/jellyfish1816
Summary: "If the eldest son becomes a father to a boy, his younger brothers must marry a male in order to prevent disputes over family succession."alternatively,That time Hoseok and Hyunwoo ends up married.





	1. It's a Boy!

**Author's Note:**

> for text messages / chats:  
> jooheon will have the underlined text  
> and minhyuk is bolded

_"If the eldest son becomes a father to a boy, his younger brothers must marry a male in order to prevent disputes over family succession."_ His mother's words echo through Hyunwoo's mind as if it's something that he's never heard before, but the truth of the matter is, he's been hearing about it ever since he was a child. The Son family is strong on traditions, and this is one that they've upheld for generations. According to his great-grandmother, complications always arise when there are two heirs apparent waiting to inherit the Son conglomerate, thus said tradition was born.

Hyunwoo has no problems with it, really, or at least he thought he didn't. But the truth of the matter is it's an arranged marriage, and he has no idea who his mother has chosen. The candidate pool is usually small, sons of employees who are or were loyal to the Son family. He's friends with some of them - those who were not intimidated by his family's power or wealth – and he’s really not looking forward to marrying anyone that has known him since he was in his diapers. That's right, Hyunwoo has no problem with the fact that he has to marry a guy - he's been with a couple throughout his whole dating career, and it is a family tradition after all - his problem is whether or not he's about to marry a friend.

It was just this morning that Hyunwoo received the news, his brother announcing it with an apologetic smile on his face, "We just got back from Eunji's check-up and it's official! We're having a boy!"

Hyunwoo just stared back at him in complete disbelief. He wanted to congratulate his brother, he really did, but it felt like there was a lump in his throat preventing him from uttering a single word. "H-Hyung... congr-"

"Congratulations you two," their mother chimed in - as dignified and serene as ever. "Hyunwoo, you know exactly what this means, right? Your father and I will be looking through the candidates as soon as possible."

"Don't worry Hyunwoo-ya, I'll make sure to pick a good husband for you," his father added in a gleeful tone.

 

* * *

 

Now, he's sitting at his neighborhood cafe, waiting for the friends that he'd summoned through the group chat. If he's getting married soon, he wants to be the one to break the news to his friends, not some shitty tabloid waiting to get the latest scoop in the lives of the elites. Specifically, he's waiting for Jooheon and Minhyuk, his best friends since middle school. For some reason, Hyunwoo seems to be a magnet for energetic, lively people, because that's exactly how you'll describe the two. He met them both as members of the dance team, and both are actually younger than him - Jooheon being the youngest of the three of them, but they're the ones Hyunwoo found to be the most interesting and easy to get along with. 

As Hyunwoo fiddles with his iced americano's straw, he hears the door chime and two frantic footsteps heading towards his direction,  _ah....here they come._  Hyunwoo closes his eyes, preparing himself for the flurry of questions that he's sure to receive in the next five minutes. Eyes still closed, he hears the clattering of chairs as his friends try to position themselves in front of Hyunwoo. This made him let out a small chuckle, it feels like his friends are more worried about this than he is.

He opens his eyes, two expectant faces in front of him, "How about you guys order first?" Hyunwoo says, amusement clear in his voice.

"Right...right," Minhyuk's still wide-eyed but he somehow manages to order a mocha frappe for him and an iced americano for Jooheon, because the group's baby is still in shock, unable to process what Hyunwoo told them through the group chat.

"Hyung, is it true? You're getting married? Hyung, when's the wedding? Who are you marrying? Are you gonna move somewhere else once you get married?" Jooheon has always had a knack for rapping.

"One at a time, Jooheonie." Hyunwoo laughs, pressing a hand against Jooheon's mouth.

"But hyung, you seem to be so relaxed about this," Minhyuk speaks in between taking the server and receiving the drinks, "it's the twenty-first century, do you still need to follow these rules?"

"I'm born from old money, Minhyuk-ah, it's not that easy to break tradition."

"I guess rich people don't have it easy, huh"

"Dummy, do I need to remind you that you guys are rich, too," Hyunwoo said in a playful tone.

 "True, true, but..." Minhyuk pauses to take a sip from his drink, "we're not old money, and we don't have weird traditions like what you have."

He was about to deliver a quick rebuttal when his phone rings, his mother's caller ID displayed on the screen. "Sorry guys, it's my mother."

Minhyuk and Jooheon's eyes are back to being as wide as saucers, anticipating every word that falls and will fall from Hyunwoo's mouth. They may not hear what the other line is saying, but the two are hoping that they can piece it together with their genius, and context skills. They also don't realize it, but they are definitely leaning one side of their bodies closer to Hyunwoo, to make snooping easier.

"Hello, Mother." Hyunwoo used to call her mom, but as he learned through his etiquette training growing up, 'mom' and 'dad' are endearments that should be left behind in his childhood. This doesn't mean that he's not close to his parents, that's far from the truth. Hyunwoo loves his parents very much, that's partly the reason why he's even going through with this arrangement. "Do you need me at home?" Hyunwoo gulps, his heart hoping that his mother's just checking up on him.

"No need to, Hyunwoo. I'm just calling to let you know that we've chosen a partner for you. He will be here on Saturday, so do make sure that you visit the house looking prim and proper. And please don't be late, we don't want your future husband getting a bad first impression of you," his mother's voice was soft, her words said in an almost sing-song voice. It's another reason why he can't seem to deny any of his mother's requests.

"Yes Mother, of course. I'm looking forward to it." He's not lying, he _is_ looking forward to this meeting, curious to see who his parents have chosen for him. He's very curious who his parents think is compatible with him. "Is there anything else?"

"I believe that's everything I need to tell you." Hyunwoo was about to say his goodbyes when he was cut off, "Do take care of yourself Hyunwoo-ya. I love you, son."

Hyunwoo's mouth forms a smile, "I will. I love you too, and I'll see you on Saturday."

After the phone call, two eager ears were waiting for the story. They look like two kids ready to receive a reward for staying still and keeping quiet. But soon enough, Minhyuk bursts into questions, "Hyung! Hyung! What did auntie say!? Did they find a husband for you!? What's his name!? Do you know him!? Can we meet him!?" Minhyuk's questions seemed more like exclamations, amusing Hyunwoo to the fullest.

"To answer your shouts: One, Mother just informed me that they have found a partner for me. Two, I forgot to ask mother for their name. Three, I can't be sure whether I know them or not just yet. Three, you can't meet him yet because I'm meeting him for the first time on Saturday," Hyunwoo sipped his iced americano, finishing it off. "Any more questions?"

"Hyung," Jooheon interrupts Minhyuk before the other could even get a word in, "make sure to give us updates, okay? Let us know what's going on, or if you need any help at all."

"Heonnie, I appreciate your concern, but I'm getting married not dying in 3 days." Hyunwoo lets out a hearty laugh.

"I know, but-" It was Minhyuk's turn to interrupt Jooheon.

"Since our hyung's days as a bachelor is coming to an end, we should celebrate and have fun to our heart's content! Am I right, Heonnie?" Minhyuk proclaims to the whole cafe, pinching Jooheon's cheeks at the same time.

"Can said celebration just be us with beer and fried chicken, playing card games and video games in my apartment?"

"Of course, hyung! It's your death as a bachelor that approaches, so we will grant any wish of yours now."

 

* * *

 

Saturday arrived faster than Hyunwoo had expected. He opened his eyes to sunlight filtering through his bedroom windows, warmth caressing his body. He lets out a sigh, "Wake up, Son Hyunwoo! Today's the day!"

It would be a lie if he said that he's not even just a bit curious. After all, this is something that will affect his whole life. If Hyunwoo's being honest, he didn't expect this to happen as soon as it is, but he's learned to just go with the flow of things. That's his secret of how he's lived a peaceful life, going with the flow. It doesn't mean that he's a push-over, it just means that it's easier for him to forgive and forget, making friends became easier, too. Dragging himself out of the bed, Hyunwoo heads straight to the bathroom for a much-needed shave and a quick shower.

After double-checking for any stubble, Hyunwoo slaps on some moisturizer on his face - it's the only thing that he uses from the basketful of skincare products Minhyuk gifted him for his birthday - now it's all neatly lined up on his bathroom shelf, most of them untouched. Now the only problem left: what is he going to wear? Hyunwoo runs to his bed and grabs his phone, he scrolls through his favorites and presses Minhyuk's name.

"Hyuuuuuuung," Minhyuk answers, the fact that he just woke up apparent in his voice.

"Minhyuk-ah, did  I disturb your sleep?" Hyunwoo finds it very amusing.

"Yes. Absolutely. I need my beauty rest, hyung," Minhyuk's starting to sound more and more irritated.

"Minhyukkie," Hyunwoo coos, "I need help with what to wear."

"Black turtleneck the one Versace sent you, black pants, long coat. The tan one Jooheonie gave you for Christmas, you know the Armani one." Minhyuk said in quick succession and Hyunwoo makes a mental note to check if he still has that turtleneck.

Hyunwoo hates to admit it, but he's become somewhat of a socialite as soon as he entered adulthood. When Jooheon and Minhyuk invite him out to go to clubs, there are often paparazzi waiting for them. That's also when clothing brands started contacting him and sending him clothes to wear. Hyunwoo is tall, with a toned physique, and a part of the Son Family, making him the favorite of some fashion houses. They send him clothes to wear, Minhyuk takes photos for him, and he reluctantly posts it on social media. He became what men seek to look like, and what women want their boyfriends to look like. 

"Hyung? You still there?" Minhyuk asks after three minutes of silence.

"Mmm." Hyunwoo hums while he rummages through his closet, silently cursing himself for only wearing black and white. It makes looking for a black turtleneck almost impossible. "Sorry Minhyukkie, I'm gonna hang up now. Thanks for the fashion advice."

"Alright. Make sure to keep us updated, hyung! Or do you want me to come with you?" Minhyuk is obviously teasing now.

"Stupid. Do you think my mother will like that?"

The younger lets out a laugh, "You're right hyung, I don't want auntie's death glare on me. Okay, I'm hanging up now."

Before leaving the house, Hyunwoo put a dollop of mousse on his hand and ran it through his hair. He's not really good at styling his hair, but he manages. He puts on his coat and grabs his car keys. It's a thirty-minute drive to the main house, thirty minutes until Hyunwoo meets his forever.

 

* * *

 

His whole body is on edge, every step towards the door feels heavy. Hyunwoo thought he was ready, but the realization is slowly permeating through his body. The family's caretaker greets him, grabbing his coat and putting it away for him. The caretaker also informs Hyunwoo that the guest arrived fifteen minutes earlier than expected and he's waiting in the study, accompanied by Hyunwoo's parents.

Hyunwoo's heart is pounding against his chest now as if it wants to escape. His feet feel the same - like it wants to run in the opposite direction. He feels goosebumps running all throughout his body, his thoughts running wild.  _What if he thinks I'm ugly? Or that I'm too awkward? Oh god, what if we have nothing to talk about. What if we have nothing in common._ And before Hyunwoo knows it, he's in the living room. And nothing could've prepared him for what's in front of him.

He has silky black hair, a perfect contrast against his milky white skin. He also noticed how the man's suit hugs him in all the right places. Now Hyunwoo feels underdressed. When he saw Hyunwoo standing in the doorway, he let out the most beautiful smile, so contagious Hyunwoo doesn't realize that he's smiling back. The man stands up and greets Hyunwoo with a bow, "It's nice to meet you. My name is Shin Hoseok."

"Uh...ah..." Hyunwoo struggles to form words.

"Hyunwoo, where are your manners? Greet our guest properly." His mother interjected, worry visible in her eyes.

Hyunwoo returns the bow, "It's a pleasure to meet you as well. I'm Son Hyunwoo, of the Son family." What a stupid thing to say, he wants to backflip out of this conversation.

But then he hears a small snicker, "I know you very well, Mr. Son Hyunwoo."

"Well," Hyunwoo's father adds, "it seems like you two have a lot to talk about so Hyunwoo, your mother and I will be taking our leave."

 

* * *

 

It's most definitely awkward. Hyunwoo positioned himself in the sofa next to Hoseok, giving the other glances for what seemed like every two minutes. Hyunwoo estimates that they've been sitting in silence for about ten minutes until they hear a knock on the door. A maid brings in tea alongside some pastries, Hyunwoo knows that it's under his mother's instructions. They simultaneously thanked the maid, and Hoseok took this opportunity to start a conversation.

"So, what do you think?" Hoseok tilts his head.

"I'm sorry?" Hyunwoo clarifies while drinking tea, his eyebrows farming arches.

"What do you think of your future husband?"

"Ah. Uh... I think you're really beautiful."

A big laugh escapes Hoseok, "What the hell is that! This is the first time someone's called me beautiful."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, seriously."

"But when I saw you, the first thing that came to mind was _'ah what is he thinking agreeing to marry someone like me'._ "

Hoseok lets out another laugh, "Someone like you? I think you're pretty cool though."

"Thank you," Hyunwoo says, feeling flustered. He's enjoying his time with Hoseok, and he wants it to continue. It just feels like he's making a new friend, instead of getting to know his future husband.  _Think, Hyunwoo, think! What can you talk with Hoseok about?_ Lightbulb.

"So!" Hyunwoo realizes that he might have been too loud when he sees Hoseok yelp while drinking his tea. "What do you do? As a job, I mean."

Hoseok puts down his teacup, positioning himself so that he's making eye contact with Hyunwoo, "I'm a kindergarten teacher. Honestly, my mother wanted me to go into business, you know, work for the Son conglomerate like her, and my father, and my brother. But my passion really is with teaching kids."

"Then, how did you end up here?" Hyunwoo's full of curiosity once again.

"You make it sound like it's such a bad thing," Hoseok gives him a curious look, "Did you know that I've been training for this since I was a kid? My family's so loyal to the Son Family they didn't even question it. Well, it's not like I have a problem with it either. I found out at a very young age that I have no interest in women. That's why I'm so thankful that I have a brother, he'll be able to continue the Shin name."

"By training... What do you mean by training?"

"Hm?" Hoseok hums, licking his thumb after eating a danish. "Well, my mom taught me how to cook - don't expect much from it though, do the laundry, all kinds of household chores. She told me that I may be the "future wife of a Son". How old-fashioned is that? Calling me a wife?" He shakes his head while chuckling.

"I'm sorry. You had no choice because of me." Hyunwoo mumbles, lowering his head.

"Hey! Don't worry about it! Besides, it's not just me. What about you? How do you feel about this?"

"It's a family tradition."

"Right. Then we feel the same way. For the family."

Hyunwoo nods, he notes that they at least have something in common. If anything, this arrangement may have gained him a new friend. Hoseok seems like the type to get along with everyone. His laughter and his smile are both contagious, and something about him brings the protectiveness out of Hyunwoo. Hoseok is by no means fragile. Hell, Hyunwoo thinks that the other is more muscular than him. But he exudes this aura that he wants to be spoiled. Maybe it's his porcelain skin, making him look like he's never been touched by the sun. Maybe it's the way that he looks at Hyunwoo, his eyes always just a little watery, making them sparkle. Hyunwoo's thoughts were interrupted by a knock once again.

Hyunwoo's father enters the room, with his mother following right behind. They situate themselves on the loveseat right in front of Hoseok and Hyunwoo, nodding at each other. His father starts speaking, "We have discussed it with Hoseok's parents, and we think that living together would be good for the two of you."

"I'm sorry?!" Hyunwoo's thankful to past him for not drinking tea at that moment.

"Hyunwoo, think about it. Since you will be married anyway, isn't it better to get to know each other?"

"But... I mean... Isn't it okay to just go out on dates?" Hoseok's looking at him now, a flush crawling up from his neck.

"H-Hyunwoo is right, Mr. Son. I don't t-think living together now will be necessary." Hoseok stutters a bit.

Mr. Son grins, placing his hand on top of his wife's, "Hoseok, please. No need for formalities, you will be a part of the Son family. Just call us mother and father."

"Y-yes, father..."

"But father," Hyunwoo adds in an objecting tone, "why are we rushing this marriage? Can't we just be engaged? And then get married two, three years from now?"

"Hyunwoo-ya, you're already twenty-six years old. I think it's about time for you to start settling down." His father, reprimands. "Anyways, if you guys don't have any other questions, we'll be taking our leave once again. Oh, and Hyunwoo make sure to help Hoseok with the move to your apartment, okay?"

"Yes, father," was the only thing Hyunwoo could say.

His parents left the room once they heard his agreement, but all Hyunwoo could feel now is how apologetic he is towards Hoseok. Hyunwoo is sure that this will be a huge problem for Hoseok's everyday life. His routine will be all messed up just because of their parents' whims. He scoots closer to Hoseok, holding the other's hand, "I am so sorry about this. I knew they could be fickle but I didn't know that they wouldn't even take your life into consideration."

Hoseok shakes his head, "Hey, don't worry about it. I know what I'm getting into. Besides its not too much trouble, the kindergarten is an easy commute."

Hyunwoo tightens his hands around Hoseok's, "No, don't worry about the commute. I'll... I'll drive you to work, and I'll pick you up from work. The reason why you're having all of these problems is because of me, so I'll definitely make it up to you."

Hoseok tries to fight back a smile, he can't help but find Hyunwoo adorable, "Well, if you insist."

Hyunwoo nods, tight-lipped, eagerness visible in his eyes. "Anyways, give me your phone number, it'll make the moving in arrangements easier."

* * *

Today has drained all the life out of Hyunwoo. On one hand, he met Hoseok - whom he genuinely thinks is one cool guy, on the other hand, he's suddenly thrust into the married life without even getting married. He finishes parking his car in the garage and makes her way to the bedroom. He plops down to his soft, familiar bed, not even bothering with taking off his coat. He quickly checks his phone and sees the hundreds of messages Minhyuk and Jooheon left in the group chat. Half of them asking for updates about "his better half" as Jooheon stated in one of the texts. Hyunwoo starts tapping away:

 

Need your help **.**

**for u anything hyung**

what do you need help with hyung?

With moving.

AAAAHHHHHHHH SEE I KNEW IT YOU WILL MOVE  
BECAUSE YOU'RE GETTING MARIED NO HYUNG  
DON'T LEAVE US

Stupid, I'm not moving out. Hoseok's moving in.

**oohhhhhh is hoseok the feature mr. son???**

Yeah, I guess.

 **but why is he moving in with u you guys  
** **aren't even married yet**

yeah, hyung what's up with that???

It was all decided by our parents

**holy shit being mega super rich rly sux**

are we still allowed to visit your house even when  
your husband starts living with you hyung

**thank u for asking the important questions heonnie**

Of course, you are. Besides, I think you guys will  
like Hoseok, too.

But obviously, you guys need to help us with him moving  
in. He said he's gonna ask some of his co-teachers to  
help out as well.

Also, he's not my husband yet.

 **he's a teacher????? omg he must be super smart  
** **hyung i can't wait to meet your fiance**

will food be provided if we help

Have I ever let you guys go hungry?

**sounds like a deal**

just tell is when it is hyung

Thanks guys, you're the best. 

 

Hyunwoo clicks off his phone, letting it rest on his chest. He really needs to take off his clothes to relax, but he's so exhausted his body feels limp. He can't help but smile, though, memories of his conversation with Hoseok flooding his head. Hyunwoo's never been good at talking, but with Hoseok, he felt at ease. It was easy to open up. Maybe it's because of the fact that Hoseok's a teacher, and he's good at making kids come out of their shells. Yeah, that's certainly possible. Hyunwoo doesn't know what his life will be like with Hoseok, whether things will change, or it'd just be like getting a roommate. But one thing is for sure in Hyunwoo's mind, he can't wait to see Hoseok again.

 


	2. F.R.I.E.N.D.S

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moving day shenanigans. Hyunwoo gang meets the Hoseok squad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh!! Thank you so much for the sweet messages and feedback in the first chapter. As well as all of the kudos that we've received. I appreciate all of it. I already have most of the fic planned out, and I'll try my best to update regularly. Please take it easy on me, this is my first time publishing my fic. \\(.❛ ᴗ ❛.)

Hyunwoo is awakened by his phone's insistent pings. Today's Hoseok's move-in day and it seems like both Jooheon and Minhyuk are more excited than he is. It's been three weeks since Hyunwoo and Hoseok met each other. And in those three weeks, they've been busy exchanging text messages - complete with image attachments - to update the other about their everyday lives. Hoseok never fails to send Hyunwoo a "good morning" text, making Hyunwoo's day instantly better. For once, Hyunwoo wants to be the first one to send that "good morning", but he can't beat a kindergarten teacher when it comes to waking up early. In exchange, Hyunwoo's always the first one to check up on whether Hoseok's eating properly. Hyunwoo found out that Hoseok sometimes forgets about his meals when he gets so immersed in his job. He would send the teacher a photo of whatever he happens to be eating as a meal and add a short message to it; something along the lines of "Today, I'm eating lamb skewers. Jooheon's treat! Make sure to eat your meals properly Hoseok-ah."

The pair has also hung-out a couple of times. Hyunwoo brought his date to his favorite restaurant, one that served prime grade meat. He also brought Hoseok to a vintage record store when he found out that the other loved collecting vinyl. When it was Hoseok's turn to plan the date, he chose an arcade, where he and Hyunwoo were able to play to their heart's content, because no one ever judges your age when you're at an arcade. When they became famished from playing all the DDR that they could, Hoseok recommended his favorite ramen shop. The shop was very modest - most of its patrons are middle-aged men working blue-collar jobs, owned by a couple probably well into their sixties. But holy hell, was the ramen good. Both of them ordered two solo servings, customizing their toppings to fit their individual tastes, and because Hoseok is a regular, the proprietor gave them an extra egg on the house. More than anything though, Hyunwoo enjoyed seeing Hoseok so happy. It became even more clear to him that Hoseok is a warm person. He's able to have a conversation with any of the shop's customers, even dragging Hyunwoo into one or two discussions about when it's best to eat ramen, and which toppings best fit each season.

Hyunwoo finally presses his phone's home button to check his messages, and then instantly regrets it. Minhyuk and Jooheon's messages bombarded his phone, all asking about today's happenings, with some memes in between. He replies with a quick "Just come over ASAP." He needs to brief his friends about what they can and can't do in front of Hoseok. Sometimes the two of them can be a bit rowdy, and it definitely takes a bit of time to get used to them. Hyunwoo has no doubts that Hoseok can handle them though, considering that he deals with children every day. He smiles at the image of Jooheon and Minhyuk being scolded by Hoseok. Somehow, he wants to see it happen. He swipes back to his message threads and checks what Hoseok sent him:

_Good morning! I've finally finished packing all my things._

_I'll be there in an hour or so?_

Are you sure you don't want me to drive there and help out?

_It's alright!_

_Besides, Hyungwon's picking Changkyun up in his car, so I'll just hitch a ride  
with them. lol_

Hyunwoo remembers the names. Hyungwon and Changkyun are Hoseok's co-teachers. They all take care of one class at the school. Hoseok noted that it may seem excessive to some, but he actually likes the system. During recess, lunchtime, and nap time, they can separate the class into three - making the kids easier to manage. It also helps that while Hoseok is teaching at the front of the class, Hyungwon and Changkyun can go around the classroom to help students with whatever questions they have. Hoseok said that having the extra hands really help with the nurturing of the children. He also talked about how working with Hyungwon and Changkyun always feels like he's working with his little brothers, especially with how weird Changkyun is and Hyungwon can be a little helpless. He told Hyunwoo of multiple stories Hyunwoo can't help but lovingly admire Hoseok every time he speaks of "his children". He can see the love in his fiancé's eyes whenever he talks about his job, and Hyunwoo's glad that Hoseok never gave up on his passion.

Alright, well just text me if you need anything. And  
text me when you're almost here, okay?

_Sir, yes, sir!_

Hoseok ends the conversation with an image attachment. A photo of him all ready to go, his hair styled, and he's wearing a red flannel shirt with a white undershirt. Hyunwoo noticed that Hoseok loves taking selfies, and he has absolutely no complaints. After all, he enjoys receiving said selfies. Hyunwoo springs out of bed, stretching his arms out to relax the muscles. He then puts on his grey sweats hanging from his bed's headboard and then proceeds to the kitchen.

* * *

Once there, Hyunwoo prepares himself breakfast. And by breakfast, he means cereal. He usually has a housekeeper come in for him at least twice a week to clean and make meals, but he never asks for breakfast. He's most definitely satisfied with Chocolate Chex in the mornings. After he shoves a few spoonfuls in his mouth, he hears someone entering the passcode to his door. And in enters Lee Minhyuk. Sometimes Hyunwoo asks himself why he willingly gave Minhyuk the code to his house when he knows that the guy has no sense of boundaries, "Lee Minhyuk! You know I have a doorbell, right?"

"Hyung, why do I need to use your doorbell when I know the pin," Minhyuk says it more matter of factly than anything. He puts down a brown shopping bag and goes straight to Hyunwoo's fridge for a bottle of water.

Hyunwoo just lets out a resigned sigh, he can never win against Minhyuk, and he doubts that he ever will. Minhyuk's main source of income is his gig as a fashion magazine editor. He's the one to assign jobs to writers, decide on which trends to feature on which issue, and which models are appropriate for said trends. He's used to being in charge and telling people what to do and Hyunwoo never learned how to compete. "So? What's in the bag?" Hyunwoo asks, pointing at it.

"Clothes, duh!"

"For you?"

"No, hyung, yours."

"Why? I already have so many clothes I don't wear -"

"If you have so many clothes then why don't you wear them to your dates instead of repeating the same white tee and black ripped jeans look every single time you go out with your fiancé! Honestly hyung it's not just the first impression that's important, our date looks are important, too. Geez, it just looked like you had no other choice but to come with how you choose to dress." Minhyuk was out of breath by the time he ended his sentiments. 

"Wait," Hyunwoo stops mid-chew, "how did you know what I wore to my dates with Hoseok? I don't think I even told you guys when I went out with him."

Minhyuk starts scrolling on his phone and basically slaps Hyunwoo with it, "It's all over social media, hyung. Whether you like it or not, people know who you are. And when you're out and about in Itaewon, there's bound to be someone there to snap a pic." Minhyuk starts tapping on his phone until he pulls up a news article, "I guess whoever took the photo sent them to tabloids to earn some extra income."

>  Son Hyunwoo's New Beau!
> 
>   * The Kindergarten Teacher Who Captured the Heart of the Son Conglomerate's Golden Boy
>   * Click [here](http://thisisfake.kr) to find out more about him
> 


Hyunwoo lays down the phone on the kitchen counter and goes back to eating his cereal. This isn't anything new for him. News sites and tabloids always find out who he's dating one way or another. Sure, it's annoying but it's never really affected him. If any of them tries to do a smear campaign against Hoseok, Hyunwoo has a whole legal team to deal with them. For now, he wants to focus on just getting to know Hoseok. None of the extra problems that come with it, Hyunwoo's dreaming of a peaceful domestic life with his new roommate.

"Hyung, is this really okay?"

"Yeah, it's fine. They know that I'm not one they can mess with." Hyunwoo replies with a mouthful of Chocolate Chex.

Minhyuk sighs, sometimes he really can't read what's in Hyunwoo's mind. Instead of worrying about Hyunwoo he decides that it's better to just dress him up. Minhyuk shuffles through the shopping bag, grabbing Hyunwoo's forearm with his other hand and dragging him to the bedroom, "Anyways, hyung, you need to get ready soon. So take these clothes and get changed."

"But my cer-" And then Minhyuk slammed the door in his face.

* * *

Hyunwoo pulls out a white, oversized knit sweater with blue and green color-blocking around its elbows and neckline from the bag. In the past few years, Minhyuk has become something close to being Hyunwoo's stylist, and he knows what his hyung is and isn't willing to wear. It wasn't until he actually wears the sweater that Hyunwoo notices how deep the neckline goes. His whole chest is practically exposed. This is definitely out of the norm for Hyunwoo. Sure, he would wear something like this for a magazine shoot, but today is just a day full of labor, so why does he have to look so dressed up. He sighs while putting on some jeans, "Minhyuk is definitely doing this on purpose."

He trudges back to the kitchen where Minhyuk started snacking on dry cereal. He watches Hyunwoo approaching him, a grin slowly forming on his face. Then, Lee Minhyuk puts on a performance. He brings both his hands up to his face, pretending to be shocked and touched, much like he's just won an award. His face really went on a journey in the three seconds that it took Hyunwoo to get to the kitchen counter. "You look great, hyung. God, I wish I had a body like yours," Minhyuk mumbles while poking at Hyunwoo's clavicle.

"Minhyukkie, don't you think this is too much?"

"Not at all, hyung! You need to impress him every time you guys see each other." Minhyuk's now moved on from Hyunwoo's clavicle to his chest, "By the way, hyung. Can I take a photo of you later? I wanna post it on my insta."

Hyunwoo was just about to decline when he hears the doorbell ring throughout his house and he books it, leaving a Hyunwoo-shaped dust cloud with Minhyuk. He opens the door and Hoseok is there to greet him with a warm smile, "Hey Hyunwoo, I'm here."

"Y-yeah...yeah...Come in," Hyunwoo gestures towards his home, he's caught completely off guard by how much Hoseok is beaming.

Hyunwoo was so focused on staring at Hoseok he didn't even notice two other guys trailing behind him. One was tall and lanky, with an unconventionally handsome face, perfect for strutting in fashion runways more than being a teacher. The other was much shorter but has the confidence of a hundred men judging by the way he walks. Hyunwoo hands them house slippers and all three say their thank yous.

"Oh, right! Hyunwoo, these are my friends and co-workers, Hyungwon and Changkyun," Hoseok introduces them consecutively.

"Nice to meet both of you. Maybe you've heard of me, my name is Son Hyunwoo. I'm your friend's- I'm Hoseok's fiancé," Hyunwoo sneaks a glance at Hoseok and sees him blushing, though a smile stretches across his face.

The tall one, Hyungwon, acknowledges Hyunwoo, "You're all he's been talking about during our breaks, even when we meet outside of school, so of course we've heard of you."

"Ah, and you know-" Changkyun was about to add something when Hoseok interrupts him.

"LA LA LA LA Hyunwoo! Why don't you introduce us to your friend over there?" Hoseok waves at Minhyuk.

Hoseok's panic made Hyunwoo curious as to what Changkyun was about to say, but he just obliges and beckons Minhyuk over, "This is Lee Minhyuk, one of my best friends, we go way back. My other friend is supposed to come today as well, but I guess he's running a little late."

"Nice to meet you," Minhyuk greets with a bow, then he meets eyes with Hoseok, "Should I call you Hoseok hyung, or would you prefer brother-in-law?"

Hyungwon and Changkyun giggles as Hoseok become increasingly flustered - like they're middle schoolers witnessing their friend get teased about his crush. This is Minhyuk's strategy at making friends - provoke them a little so they'll open up, but not so much that they'll be put off by him.

Hoseok stumbles through his words, "I- I mean if you want to call me b-brother-in-law? I don't see why not. But these two just calls me Hoseok hyung."

Hyunwoo smacks Minhyuk on the back of his head, "Idiot, stop making Hoseok feel uncomfortable and just address him as hyung. Or better yet, why don't you call him Mr. Shin?" Hyunwoo shifts all of his focus on Hoseok, "Shall we start bringing in your stuff?"

Hoseok nods, stifling laughter from Hyunwoo ordering Minhyuk to call him "Mr. Shin".

* * *

Unloading Hoseok's things didn't take much time at all, considering that there wasn't a lot to unload in the first place. Now, all that's left to do is unpacking. They have all the time in the world, so it was decided that a long break is necessary. Hyunwoo also wants to take this opportunity to find out more about what Hoseok is like when they're not together. Boxes of Hoseok's life is lined up against the walls of Hyunwoo's house. Some are labeled with H-O-S-E-O-K in black marker, while some just say what the boxes contain. Hyunwoo's still not fully convinced that Hoseok is about to move in with him, despite all the physical evidence. He's known the guy for three weeks. Although, he was introduced as Hyunwoo's fiancé, and then they became friends. So really, they're doing this all in the wrong order.

"Hyung! Are we ordering food!?" Minhyuk shouts from the living room, still managing to chat non-stop with Hyungwon and Changkyun. He's been talking non-stop about how the two of them have "supermodel energy", leaving Hoseok's friends nothing short of confused.

"We are!"

Hyunwoo was about to dial his favorite restaurant when he hears his door's pinpad beeping again. He takes out his phone and creates a reminder to change the passcode. He can't have people barging into his house now that it's his _and_ Hoseok's house. There are only three people, other than him, who knows his house passcode, and Hyunwoo knows exactly who is about to peek his head in through the door. Four beeps later and his door is unlocked by Jooheon. He raises both his arms - heavy with bags of food while wearing an apologetic smile.

"Heonnie, you're so late," Hyunwoo complains but still helps Jooheon with the bags.

"Sorry hyung, I had some things to take care of. You mad?"

"Have I ever been mad at you? Don't worry about it. More importantly, come and meet the guests." He assured Jooheon as they make their way to the living room.

"Lee Jooheon!" Minhyuk screams at the top of his lungs, dramatically running and clinging onto the younger. "I thought you've died."

"Hyung, don't be a drama queen. I missed one call from you," Jooheon's now trying to escape from Minhyuk's super glue hug.

Hyunwoo clears his throat, "Jooheon-ah, meet Hoseok, Hyungwon, and Changkyun." He pointed at the three one by one - almost as if he's reading from a script, and the teachers waved at Jooheon one after the other.

"Hello! I'm Lee Jooheon," he bows his head, "I'm hyung's favorite."

"Heonnie," Minhyuk puts a hand on his shoulder, his face full of melancholy, "You need to retire that title, Hyunwoo-hyung's got a new favorite."

"Enough fooling around with each other, I'll set the food Jooheon brought so entertain the guests," Hyunwoo heads back to the kitchen alone, feeling confident that Jooheon and Minhyuk will be able to keep the energetic vibe going.

* * *

As soon as Hyunwoo was out of earshot, Jooheon and Minhyuk hurried to the couch facing Hoseok and his friends, like predators getting ready to pounce on their prey. Minhyuk starts, "So, how's our Hyunwoo?"

"He's nice." Hoseok doesn't hesitate, he's done forming his opinion of Hyunwoo and he has nothing bad to say.

"Eyyyy! Come on, hyung. Give us more than that," Jooheon says playfully.

"Yeah, hyung, spill!" Changkyun has a shit-eating grin, trying to provoke Hoseok.

"Well. He's attentive. I like how he plans things when he hangs out with me. He makes sure that I'm having fun. I also like it when he gives me the chance to show him the things that I enjoy," Hoseok crosses his arms and leans back, "Let's see... What else..."

"What do you think about his look for today?" Minhyuk asks, eager to reveal that he's the one who styled Hyunwoo.

"Ah...that...when he opened the door for us...my mind went blank!" Hoseok is completely serious and he's ready to tell the youngins what Hyunwoo looks like to him. "I really thought _'Woah, I'm really going to marry this Adonis of a man?'_ "

Minhyuk's smile spans from one ear to the other, "Right!? Right!? Our hyung is really something else. He hates getting dressed up but when he is, he really looks like he should be in magazine editorials." Minhyuk's compliments for his hyung is endless, even giving Hoseok a high-five now that he knows they're in the same wavelength.

"What was your first impression of him?" Even Hyungwon has decided to join the interrogation.

"Can I be honest? My first impression meeting him wasn't really my first impression of him."

Hoseok has piqued Minhyuk's curiosity with his last statement, "What do you mean?"

"Well. Maybe Hyunwoo's never mentioned this, but I've been trained since childhood as one of his "husband candidates". Hyunwoo didn't know that before, of course. But I did, and my mom has been showing me photos of him since I was ten. I think. Maybe. I've liked him ever since then."

"Holy shit. Holy shit!" Hyunwoo's best friends are whisper shouting while smacking each other on the shoulder.

"Minhyuk-hyung, these hyungs lives are like a drama," Jooheon exclaims, shaking Minhyuk with excitement.

Hoseok laughs. Something about Jooheon and Minhyuk is so endearing, and something within Hoseok is being awakened - a primal instinct to tease the two of them. He shares a look with Changkyun, a look that says "please go with the flow," and Changkyun gives him a small nod.

"But you know," Hoseok sucks his teeth, "even though Hyunwoo wasn't my fiance yet. I always got really hurt when I saw him out and about, partying with other girls. Like three months ago, I saw the paparazzi photos with that new actress - the one that used to be an idol. That one really hurt," He closes his eyes for added effect.

The room falls silent. Changkyun shifts on his seat and pretends to pat Hoseok's back. It's time for the actor Lim Changkyun to come out, "I remember that day. Hoseok-hyung came into work looking really stressed out and distraught. He really thought he lost his chance that day."

Minhyuk and Jooheon are speechless. Jooheon quickly gets on all fours and bows in front of Hoseok, "I just want you to know that Minhyuk-hyung is the one to set them up. I had nothing to do with it. I sincerely apologize."

"Lee Jooheon! Are you ratting me out right now?" Minhyuk kicks his ass.

"It's the truth! You told Hyunwoo-hyung that you have a blind date for him!"

"That doesn't mean you have to snitch!"

Hoseok's having trouble keeping his laughter in. He loves seeing how sincere Hyunwoo's friends are. Thankfully, the eldest steps into the living room again before Hoseok accidentally breaks character. Hoseok stands up while straightening his shirt, "Hey Hyunwoo, need help with something?"

"Yeah. Can you give me a hand with the side dishes? I was thinking we can eat here in the living room so we can be more comfortable chatting." Hyunwoo sees Jooheon still in all fours, Minhyuk playfully kicking him, "What's wrong with them?"

Hoseok smiles his brightest smile, coaxing Hyunwoo back to the kitchen, "Nothing. I was just teasing them a little bit."

* * *

The six of them finished lunch pretty quickly. After about thirty minutes of eating, they were just left chatting. Hyunwoo perpetually confused on why Jooheon kept apologizing to him and Hoseok. Hyungwon and Changkyun are snickering, finding Jooheon's plea for forgiveness extremely amusing. Changkyun hits him with a quick one-two jab of pointed words of wisdom, "You can't do anything about it anymore. The past is in the past."

The group's certainly gotten comfortable with each other, sharing embarrassing anecdotes and having a laugh while unpacking Hoseok's things. At one point, they witnessed Hyungwon spew soda out of his nose from laughing too hard, and Minhyuk's image of him being "supermodel material" did a backflip out the window. There were six of them but somehow, it took them all afternoon to organize Hoseok's room. Changkyun and Jooheon were particularly rowdy, the two of them would pull out clothes from the boxes one by one and evaluate it. Minhyuk, being the fashionista that he is, complimented Hoseok on his style. Remarking that the older has impeccable taste despite all of his clothes being what Minhyuk described as "ready-to-wear". His room was only about eighty percent done when the sky turned dark. Before they even notice it, Hyungwon was already passed out in Hoseok's bed. Jooheon and Changkyun decided to follow suit, agreeing with each other that they've done enough for the cause, leaving the three eldest to finish up the remaining work.

After almost an hour of Minhyuk helping them, he finally caved and decided to join the younger trio. He mumbles how grateful he is for king-size beds as he sneaks his way beside Jooheon. Hyunwoo, on the other hand, made a list of things that they need to pick-up from the store as soon as they find the time - things like extra hangers and linen. He also suggested getting a television set for Hoseok's room but it was rejected, with Hoseokstating that he prefers just listening to music while making his lesson plans. If he feels like watching TV, he's more than okay to just make his way to the living room. Hyunwoo also took their alone time to ask Hoseok for a new door passcode. He emphasized that they need a new one for privacy, also promising that he won't tell Minhyuk and Jooheon.

"Hmmm," Hoseok furrows his brows and his lips pressed together, "then how about the day we met? The thirteenth of October. Should it be 1013? Or is 1310 better?"

Hyunwoo smiles. It's that smile that shows just how happy he is, the smile where his right eye becomes smaller - making it look like he's giving a wink, "Yeah. 1013. I'll change the code tomorrow."

Hoseok looks into Hyunwoo's eyes and returns the smile. It's still kinda surreal that they'll be living together, getting married, even. Hoseok told Hyunwoo's friends about his decade long crush on the man, but he's unsure of whether he's actually gonna confess to the subject of said crush. He's satisfied with how things are going right now. Hyunwoo's willing to be with him, and that is more than enough for Hoseok. They don't realize how long they've been staring at each other until Hyungwon clears his throat.

"Hyung, Changkyun and I will be leaving now. We still need to wake up early for school tomorrow," Hyungwon's trying to shake the youngest awake, "Kyun, we need to go now. We still have work tomorrow."

Changkyun mumbles something under his breath, earning a smack from Hyungwon. He springs up from the bed after getting hit, making Hyunwoo and Hoseok laugh. Jooheon and Minhyuk also jolt awake from all the ruckus around them.

"If everyone's going home, I think it's time for us to leave, too," Jooheon's scratching his stomach, barely able to open his eyes.

"Hold on," Hoseok taps Hyunwoo's arm, "I think these kids need some caffeine. I'll go make some coffee."

"Okay. Do you know where things are in the kitchen?" Hyunwoo looks at him worried.

"Yeah, I remember when you pointed it out to me earlier."

"Kids, go follow Teacher Hoseok to the kitchen, please."

The "kids" don't protest. Instead, giving a collective lulled " _yes..."_ as they make their way to the kitchen.

* * *

They're outside waving goodbye to their house guests as they enter their cars one by one when Hyunwoo received the phone call. His mother wants to meet with him, but she doesn't specify as to what it pertains to. Hyunwoo knows though. The article about Hoseok has reached her, and Hyunwoo's sure that she's worried sick - though surely, it'll never show on his mother's face or in her voice. Hyunwoo assured her that he'll be visiting the main house tomorrow after he drops off Hoseok at the kindergarten. "Yes, mother. I'll be there as soon as I can. Yes. Yes. I love you, too. I'll make sure to tell him. Have a good night, mother."

Hoseok finishes waving off their friends and gives Hyunwoo a pout, "Something wrong, Hyunwoo?"

"Nope," he smiles as he slides his phone back into his back pocket, "just my mother checking in on us."

"What'd she say?"

"She told me to tell you 'welcome to the family' and to visit her once in a while when you're not busy with work. She also told me that I need to make you comfortable and happy."

Hoseok beams, "I think I'm as happy as I can be at the moment. And it's kinda impossible not to be comfortable when you get to live in a freaking mansion."

"You got jokes now, huh," Hyunwoo places one hand on the small of Hosek's back, "Let's go back inside. We have an early start tomorrow."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Son Hyunwoo, do you like him or do you like like him???? please just tell me. also this chapter was extra long because I very much enjoyed writing Minhyuk interactions. And yes, Hyunwoo's outfit is inspired by the infamous play it cool [fit](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bqPLPhBegq4/hqdefault.jpg).


	3. Phase One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hoseok-centric chapter incoming.

Okay, so maybe Hoseok lied when he said he's completely comfortable because right now, he can't even close his eyes. He's been tossing and turning for almost an hour, and this myth called sleep is nowhere to be found. The sheets are so soft, so immaculate but the room itself is so unfamiliar and so big, it makes him uneasy. Even when he knows that Hyunwoo is just in the room next door. It's going to take some time to get used to the new living arrangement, but Hoseok's always been proud of how fast he adapts to his environment. Plus, Hyunwoo's doing his best to make Hoseok as comfortable as he can be. But all of this doesn't change the fact that Shin Hoseok is unable to sleep. He grabs his phone - conveniently placed on top of his bedside table - and looks for his message thread with Hyungwon. Hoseok needs some kind of distraction right now, maybe talking to Hyungwon will help him relax and eventually fall asleep. He starts typing:

Hey

_Hey?_

I can't sleep :/

_I can. Goodnight._

Hyungwonnie!

Chae Hyungwon has left him on read. Time of devastation, 2:08 AM. Hoseok throws his phone on the soft mattress, feeling annoyed that he can't sleep. He closes his eyes again, in another attempt to get even just a few hours of sleep. Then the events of today started flooding back. He can't believe that they made so many fun memories in such a short period of time. Remembering everything that happened, he's able to reassure himself that things are gonna be okay. He's found new friends in Jooheon and Minhyuk, and by living with Hyunwoo, Hoseok knows that he'll be able to strengthen his bond with them. A smile forms on Hoseok's face and his mind start to lull, his body starting to relax.

And then the blaring of his phone alarm jolts him awake. He feels around his bed to find the source of the head-pounding sound, smashing the 'stop' button as soon as he got a hold of it. 5:00 AM is clearly displayed on the phone's screen but Hoseok has to rub his eyes for it to really sink in. Three hours of sleep, great. He really needs more than that if he wishes to keep up with hyperactive toddlers. But hey, what's done is done. Hoseok whimpers as he rolls out of his new, gigantic bed, clearly not looking forward to the rest of the day. He heads to the bathroom - yes, his room has its own lavish bathroom - and splashes his face with ice cold water. Hoseok completes his morning routine within ten minutes. He puts on a white t-shirt and tucks it into a pair of decent-looking joggers. Hoseok always goes for comfort over style during workdays, especially since his job entails him running around with kids for practically the whole day.

* * *

Hoseok sneaks into the kitchen, making sure to not make too much noise as to not wake up Hyunwoo. He's not the best at cooking, but he wants to surprise Hyunwoo with their first breakfast together. He rummages through Hyunwoo's fridge - their fridge, rather - and analyzes what he can cook with the ingredients available. He finds a carton of eggs, some not-so-fresh tomatoes, spring onions, and a container of grated parmesan. He grabs some whole wheat bread from the pantry and decides that today's menu is omelet and toast. While waiting for the pan to heat up, Hoseok dons the apron that he brought with him. He cracks four eggs into a bowl, whisking continuously while adding the rest of the ingredients into the mix. He hovers his hand over the pan to feel the temperature and melts a knob of butter. He grabs four slices of bread and places them in the toaster, one that Hoseok is unfamiliar with. Instead of the usual lever, he's presented with buttons. He pushes one in hopes that it's the right one and the toaster seemingly eats the bread. "Woah," Hoseok couldn't help but be amazed and starts talking to himself, "that's pretty cool."

He's grabbing plates so he could prep the food when he feels a presence behind him. It's Hyunwoo, still obviously groggy and only wearing a pair of grey boxer shorts. Hoseok starts eyeing him from head to toe, appreciating every detail. He also can't help but licks his lips because _good god, he really hit the jackpot with this one_. Hyunwoo stays quiet the whole time, just staring at him with furrowed brows. Hoseok clears his throat, "Mr. Son, how about we go back to our room and put on a t-shirt? Breakfast will be ready very soon."

Hyunwoo just nods with a little "mmm" and starts retreating back to his room. He stretches his upper body as he turned around making every muscle in his back taut, leaving behind a Hoseok who could barely keep his composure. _God is truly testing him._ After thirty seconds of breathing exercises, he manages to go back to his chore. He preps the food onto the plates and places them on the dining table, opposite of each other. He then takes out a couple of glasses and grabs a carton of orange juice from the fridge. Hoseok prefers orange juice over coffee in the morning, he finds that it gives him an energy boost that lasts longer than the caffeine high that the coffee offers. He also grabs the jars of jam that Hyunwoo has stockpiled in his fridge and lines them up in between the plates, just in case Hyunwoo would like some on his toast.

After a few more minutes, Hyunwoo reemerges from his bedroom, this time wearing a black tank top which highlights his broad shoulders in all of its glory. He's also now wearing glasses. Hoseok greets him properly this time, "Good morning. Breakfast?"

Hyunwoo nods and smiles, "Good morning. Breakfast sounds good." His voice is still raspy from sleep.

"Sorry, this is all I could make for today. We should go grocery shopping after work today, I want to make a more traditional breakfast next," Hoseok takes a bite off his bread.

"That means you're cooking breakfast every day?" Hyunwoo's raises a brow.

Hoseok presses his lips together, "Mm. I'd like to. Also, can you tell the auntie that cooks for you and cleans the house to come once a month instead of twice? Oh, and that she doesn't need to cook anymore."

"Once a month?"

"Yeah. I want us to be the ones to do the chores around the house, like on the weekends or something like that. Plus, it'd be kinda weird to have someone else cleaning for me."

"Okay. I can make that work."

"But... can you not reduce her pay or anything like that? Even if she only comes in once a month? I'd feel bad if she ends up losing her income because of me."

"Of course not, I could never do that to her."

Hoseok smiles and goes back to picking on his slice of bread, "So! How's breakfast?"

Hyunwoo nods with a mouthful of omelet and gives a thumbs up. Hoseok admits that his cooking skills are mediocre at best, but he can't help but feel proud when he saw the satisfaction in Hyunwoo's face. "It's good. Reminds me of Kihyun cooking for me."

"Kihyun?"

Hyunwoo tenses up, he lowers his gaze to his plate to avoid any eye contact with Hoseok, "Yeah. A friend from college."

It's obvious to Hoseok that it was a slip of the tongue for Hyunwoo and that he's not very fond of the topic. Maybe he had a falling out with this Kihyun or something along the lines, so Hoseok decided not to pry. The rest of breakfast was shrouded in awkwardness. It wasn't the same awkwardness when they first met, or the long pauses in between their casual conversations since then. This one was different. It's suffocating Hoseok, making him unable to speak any further.

* * *

The ride to Hoseok's work is just a continuation of breakfast. Hyunwoo is focused on the road, and Hoseok decided that he should just go on his favorite news app to skim through the headlines. Headlines about the political climate in the United States, or the latest scandal, but his eyes widen when he sees the headline of a popular celebrity tabloid;  ** _From_** _ **Date** **Nights to Domestic Life: Son Hyunwoo Moves in with Rumoured Boyfriend**. _Hoseok's heart starts pounding, his head decides to join in on the fun, too. As he scrolls through the article, he starts thinking about when and where and how anyone could have taken these photos. He didn't notice any cars parked anywhere near their house, or anyone suspicious lurking, so just how?

The photos keep coming, one after another, all of them given ludicrous captions instead of actually writing an article. _**Full House:**_ _ **Son Hyunwoo, 26, opens the door for his boyfriend, 25. So no one told you life was gonna be this way: The couple was accompanied by a group of friends, who helped them with the move.**_ Changkyun's and Hyungwon's face were both blurred out, much to Hoseok's relief. He continues scrolling.  _ **Joohoney Onehunnit: Lee Jooheon, the son of Honey Entertainment's CEO joined the gathering much later. Sweet life: The new couple waved goodbye to their friends with a smile. First night: They finally enter the house with Hyunwoo guiding his boyfriend's back.**_

Hoseok finally snaps out of it when Hyunwoo grabs his hand, "Hey, are you okay?" Hyunwoo finally glances at him after a full ten minutes, eyes full of worry.

"Hyunwoo, they know where we live. They know where our house is," there's a tremble in Hoseok's voice.

Hyunwoo nods, still focused on the road, "It comes with the territory."

Hoseok hates how calm Hyunwoo looks, how the other can keep his composure while he's barely holding on, "Aren't you just a little bit concerned?"

"I'll...I have a solution. Please trust me," Hyunwoo releases his right hand from the wheel to reach for Hoseok's left hand, intertwining their fingers together while repeating his words, "Please trust in me, Hoseok."

All of the awkwardness from five minutes ago disappeared in just a matter of seconds. Hoseok's breathing is evening out and his mind is starting to refocus. Hyunwoo's fingers are still intertwined with his, Hyunwoo drawing circles on the back of Hoseok's hand with his thumb. It relaxes Hoseok, such a simple gesture reassures him that everything's gonna be fine. He's never going to admit that he believes in fate or destiny, but Hoseok is glad that it's Hyunwoo. Hoseok sees him as someone to rely on, someone who favors words over actions, someone who is sincere with everything he does. Hoseok sees Hyunwoo as his balance and Hoseok finds himself falling deeper and deeper in love.

* * *

Hyunwoo parks the car in front of the school. It's still empty but Hoseok recognizes Hyungwon's car in the employee parking - the man may be asleep half the time, but he is punctual. Hoseok lets out a long exhale, trying to realign his thoughts. He can't show that he's troubled in front of the kids, or in front of Hyungwon and Changkyun. Hyunwoo cups his face, forcing Hoseok to meet him eye to eye, "Hey, you gonna be okay?" Hyunwoo stares right into Hoseok's eyes, worried and looking for answers.

Hoseok gives Hyunwoo a smile, "I'll be fine...I think."

"Should we call in sick for you?"

He chuckles and shakes his head, still in between Hyunwoo's hands, "I'll be fine. Besides, I can't just leave those two alone. Chaos will ensue."

"Understood," Hyunwoo sighs, bumping his forehead with Hoseok's, "Just call me if anything happens, okay? I'll be there right away. I promise."

"I know. Thanks, Hyunwoo." Hoseok closes his eyes, feeling safe in Hyunwoo's hands - literally. And then he feels Hyunwoo's lips on his. They're soft and pillowy, exactly how Hoseok imagined they would be. Yes, he has been imagining what their first kiss would be like. It's not exactly how he imagined, but he did get the feel of Hyunwoo's lips right.

Hyunwoo's extremely gentle, every touch of his lips feel like feathers against Hoseok's. His left thumb keeps making swiping motions against Hoseok's cheeks, making Hoseok's whole body tingle. He's grabbing onto the hem of Hyunwoo's shirt, having no idea where he should put his hands. Hyunwoo, on the other hand, just keeps going. He's eager but cautious at the same time, breaking the kiss only to take short breaths. Hoseok can feel his lips tingling; the lower lip, in particular, is starting to swell with Hyunwoo's constant biting.

He finally pulls away from the kiss, slightly short of breathing. Hyunwoo's staring him down with eyes that say  _I want to continue, Hoseok._ He tries to catch his breath, fixing his hair and checking the side mirror if his face looks okay. "Hyunwoo," Hoseok huffs, "I need to go."

"Yeah. Yeah, of course. Call me, okay?" Hyunwoo returns his hands to the wheel, now looking a little flustered.

"I will," Hoseok reaffirms Hyunwoo while unbuckling his seatbelt.

"Oh! And..." It sounded like Hyunwoo forgot to say something. But the next thing Hoseok knows, Hyunwoo has him by the arm and plants another kiss on his lips. "I wanted one more," Hyunwoo grins, the corners of his eye crinkling by how happy he looks.

Hoseok couldn't say anything but just laugh. He gets out of the car laughing to himself. He turns back to Hyunwoo before slamming the car door, "Son Hyunwoo. You are unbelievable."

"I know," Hyunwoo proclaims with a smirk.

* * *

Hoseok starts walking towards the school, still unable to fully comprehend the events that just occurred. He checks his watch. Only seven-thirty and he's already had a roller coaster of emotions. He sighs again, but this time he can't help but smile. His heart's still wavering from what happened during breakfast, but now he feels reassured that Hyunwoo is also in this for the long run. He replays the scene in his head non-stop, rewinding it to different parts from time to time so it stays fresh in his mind.

His thoughts get interrupted when he hears the pitter-patter footsteps of someone running towards him and a small voice shouting out  _teacher_ repeatedly. It's Siyeon, one of his class' students. The little girl always comes earlier than the rest of her classmates because of her parents' schedule. Usually, Hoseok is there to welcome her, but he's running fifteen minutes later than his regular arrival time. Siyeon's pouts and crosses her arms, ready to give Hoseok a lecture, "Teacher! Why are you late? Teacher Hyungwon had to bring me into the classroom today."

"I'm sincerely sorry, Miss Siyeon. Teacher moved houses yesterday so it's a little farther from here," Hoseok pats her head, feeling energized to start the day.

"You moved houses? My auntie moved houses, too! She got married so now she lives with her husband." Siyeon giggles, "I call him uncle now."

Hoseok is dumbfounded by how smart children are these days, "Mmm. Teacher didn't really get married. But I did move in with someone I like."

Siyeon continues her giggling, excited at the thought of her teacher having a "crush". Hoseok laughs out loud with her. Every day, Hoseok finds another reason as to why he loves his job. He coaxes Siyeon back to the school and into their classroom, where a couple of grumpy co-teachers were waiting for them. Hoseok does a deep bow in front of the two while Siyeon laughs behind them, "Good morning Mr. Chae Hyungwon, Mr. Im Changkyun. How are you doing?"

"Hyung. You're late," Changkyun hates beating around the bush.

"Yes, I know," Hoseok tries to look pensive to try and make his friends feel sorry for him. Truthfully, Hoseok would've been on time to welcome Siyeon and even be the first teacher to arrive in the classroom. But the thing is, Hyunwoo became a distraction in the car. "I will think about my actions and repent."

"Say sorry to Siyeon, too. She was waiting for you outside for a long time," Hyungwon adds.

Hoseok shuffles to face Siyeon, still bowing, "I am deeply sorry, Miss Siyeon. It will never happen again."

"It's okay, Teacher. I'll never be mad at you," Siyeon returns the bow, much to the three teachers' amusement.

Slowly, the class starts filling up until everyone is accounted for. One student called in sick because of a cold, but everyone else is in attendance. Today the students will be sharing with the class what they want to be when they grow up. Playtime resulted in a few scratches, but nothing an ointment or an Anpanman band-aid can't fix. Lunch was a little chaotic. Some of the kids refused to eat their vegetables, but Changkyun made up a fun song to encourage them. Something about growing strong and healthy and looking like their favorite actors. Finally, it's the teachers' much awaited nap time. They helped the kids brush their teeth and wash their faces, and finally tuck them in. Nap times usually last around two hours, giving the teachers time to clean up around the classroom and eat their own lunch as well.

"So, hyung," Changkyun mumbles through a mouthful of rice and spam, "what happened this morning? You're usually always on time."

"Yeah, sorry about that. Uhhh, traffic?" Hoseok smiles apologetically.

Hyungwon puts down his chopsticks and stares at Hoseok, "Hyung. I saw it through the window. Hyunwoo hyung's car was stalled in front of the school for about fifteen minutes."

Hoseok chokes on his food, "Yeah...Hyunwoo drove me here...We talked a little bit in the car," He tries to come up with an excuse in between his coughing fit.

"I've been with enough people to know that you were making out. Don't lie to me, Shin Hoseok," Hyungwon is unconvinced by the alibi. Meanwhile, Changkyun is handing Hoseok a bottle of water.

"I'm not lying!" Hoseok pretends to look scandalized, "Besides! We were _not_ making out, It was just a little bit of kissing." Hoseok's voice got smaller and smaller every word of that sentence.

Hyungwon blows out air through his nose, feeling triumphant, "That's all I wanted to know."

The rest of their lunchtime went as it usually does. Hyungwon talks about how envious he is that kids have time allotted for naps, and wishing that he was four years old again. Changkyun shares some new music he found. He has so many recommendations from Changkyun that Hoseok has a playlist just titled with the guy's name. Hoseok was also teased by the two, asking about his "first night" with Hyunwoo, and Hoseok was proud to say that nothing happened. Hyungwon and Changkyun boos him quietly, careful not to wake the kids, and he feels a blush creep up to his cheeks. And then he remembered what happened during breakfast, and he figured that the two can give him advice.

"Hey," Hoseok doesn't quite know how to formulate his question, "if...If your partner starts talking about someone else, and then suddenly they become quiet. What does that mean?"

"That means that person was their ex, and it was a slip of the tongue," Hyungwon was quick to answer, and Changkyun was quick to agree with him.

Hoseok thought as much, but Hyungwon and Changkyun helped solidify his theory. Still, he doesn't want to jump to conclusions that "Kihyun" is one of Hyunwoo's exes. He wants to hear it directly from Hyunwoo's mouth. Hoseok wants their relationship to be built in trust, so much so that he wants no secrets between them. He should prepare his heart for the moment that Hyunwoo opens up to him about "Kihyun". Hoseok snaps out of his thoughts and smiles at Hyungwon and Changkyun, "Thanks, guys. Let's start cleaning up and start waking the kids."

* * *

Hyunwoo arrives at the main house around ten o'clock - after cleaning up to look decent. He put on a white t-shirt - layering it with a leather jacket, and a pair of black jeans. He's not meeting with anyone outside the family today, so he figures that his mother will let this one slide. As usual, the caretaker takes Hyunwoo's jacket from him and informs him that his father left early for a stockholders meeting and his mother is in the living room having her morning tea. When he arrived at the living room, his mother eyes him from head to toe, "You're looking very  _casual_ today, Hyunwoo. Tea?"

Hyunwoo sighs and sits down on the sofa, accepting the cup of tea that his mother poured for him, "Come on, mother. It's just us."

She lets out a small laugh, "You're right. So? I assume you already know why I wanted you here today?"

"Yeah. We need to do something. Hoseok's freaked out."

"I would imagine so. He's not used to being in the limelight."

"So, what do you suggest we do?" Hyunwoo's rubbing his palms against his thighs.

"We announce that you two are engaged. With the intention to marry, of course."

 Hyunwoo slams the teacup on top of the table, "Wouldn't that just bring him out more to the public's attention?"

"Wouldn't you say that this is better than him being clueless as to what is happening? And better than him hearing and reading baseless rumors about him and the two of you?"

Okay, so maybe his mother has a point. Once the engagement is announced, the buzz around Hoseok will die down in a week or two. People usually lose interest in things once the mystery that shrouds them clears out, "What do you suggest we do?"

"I already contacted Mr. Park about it." Mr. Park is his mother's secretary, "And Minhyuk wants a meeting set-up between the three of you."

"Minhyuk?" Hyunwoo raises an eyebrow, "What's Minhyuk got to do with all of this?"

"We sent out a private e-mail to reputable magazines and news outlets and his magazine wants exclusive rights to the announcement."

Hyunwoo sighs and lowers his head, "Lee Minhyuk."

"Come on now, Hyunwoo. Isn't it better to have a friend helping you with this?"

"Yes, mother," She's absolutely right. Like always.

"I believe we have a plan?" she cocks an eyebrow.

Hyunwoo just nods, his head too full of plans as to how he's going to tell Hoseok about this over the top plan. Hopefully, he'll be on board with it. Hyunwoo plans on being there every step of the way, supporting Hoseok and keeping him comfortable. Hyunwoo snaps his head up, "Mother, if at any moment. And I mean  _any moment._ Whether it's in the middle of the interview, or photoshoot or whatever. Or even when the news is about to be published. If Hoseok ever wants to back out and keep everything private, please promise me that you'll allow him to."

"Of course. I wouldn't want my son-in-law to have a bad impression of his family," she says calmly, sipping tea right after. "And Hyunwoo, do stay for lunch. It gets quite lonely in the house when Eunji and your brother are not here."

* * *

Lee Minhyuk. You're dead.

 **so u've heard from auntie?? come on, hyung!!!**  
**this is better than your alternatives all we're**  
**going to do is a small photoshoot. i'll be the one**  
**to interview you guys. i'll make sure to**  
**micromanage this issue for you.**

Fine. But you'll have to help me guide Hoseok.

**i am at your service (o_ _)ﾉ彡☆**

Annoying.

Hyunwoo is waiting outside of the school. It's now 3:30, and the kids are starting to thin out. He still has no idea how to tell Hoseok that they'll be announcing the engagement to the public, but Hyunwoo has always just crossed the bridge when he gets there. Which is approaching him now. Hoseok gives him a small wave and a big smile while also saying goodbye to students who recognize him. He opens the door and melts into the seat. Hyunwoo chuckles, "Cute. Tiring day?"

Hoseok's avoiding eye contact. Now that he's back in this car with Hyunwoo, he's starting to remember this morning again. When Hyunwoo asks him if he's tired, Hoseok just gives a small "yeah" and nods.

They were already on the road when Hyunwoo decides to bring it up. There's really no good time for it, so he might as well just let it out, "Hey. So. We have a meeting with Minhyuk next week."

"Meeting? For what?" Hoseok has his innocent face on. The one where he's wide-eyed with curiosity and his lips are pressed together, making him look slightly feline.

"For the..." Hyunwoo coughs, "for the engagement photoshoot and announcement."

Hoseok shoots up from his seat only to be slung back by his seatbelt, "I'm sorry!? The what?"

"We decided that this is the best way for the gossip to die down."

"Hyunwoo...I just didn't want them taking photos of us in our home."

"I know. I know. We've requested tighter security around our neighborhood. But I honestly think this is important, too."

"Are you okay with everyone knowing? About the engagement?"

Hyunwoo nods, "I have no problems with it. Are you okay with it?"

"Of course. And I trust you. Completely."

"Thank you." Hyunwoo intertwines their fingers together - just like what he did this morning, but this time he gives the back of Hoseok's hand a kiss. "Besides, I want everyone to know that you're mine." He adds a wink and Hoseok receives extra damage from the combo.

Hoseok lowers his head to hide his cheeks. Unbeknownst to him, Hyunwoo can clearly see from his peripheral Hoseok's ears - as red as it can be, "Hyunwoo. Where did all this confidence come from?"

Hyunwoo laughs and shrugs, "I figured what's the point of holding back now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a [twitter](https://twitter.com/shownu___)! Please talk to me about monsta x and showho or really anything else over there. (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hyunwoo is reunited with an old friend (?)

Hyunwoo has a new morning routine. He wakes up at 4:50 a.m. - ten minutes earlier than his fiance, goes to Hoseok's room and sneaks into his bed. He then goes behind the other and spoons him - Hyunwoo has found that Hoseok loves being the little spoon. Once Hyunwoo is hugging him from behind, Hoseok would wiggle down or up the bed so that he fits perfectly with Hyunwoo, just like a puzzle. Then, the two of them continues their sleep until Hoseok's alarm rings at 5 a.m. Hoseok adjusts himself on the bed, hovers over Hyunwoo, and gives him a small kiss on the nose. Then the two of them would get up, stretch a little bit, and start getting ready. Hyunwoo doesn't really need to get ready except for the occasional meeting, but he always finds it cute how excited Hoseok gets when they get dressed together. After they're all set, they move to the kitchen to cook breakfast. Hoseok does most of it but Hyunwoo makes sure to help with what he can. Sometimes Hyunwoo is in charge of stirring the fried rice, other times he's on jam-spreading duty. They eat, double check that they look decent for the day, and then Hyunwoo drives Hoseok to work.

"Goodbye kiss?" Hyunwoo's leaning towards the passenger seat, eyes closed and waiting for Hoseok to comply. Hyunwoo never fails to ask for a goodbye kiss. Sometimes he'd ask for it on the cheeks, sometimes he wants it on the lips - this one's a little bit more dangerous. Hoseok laughs an open-mouthed laugh, his eyes disappearing into his cheeks. He actually really finds it endearing when Hyunwoo acts spoiled around him. It makes him feel special since Hyunwoo is known as a stoic, mature person. Hoseok leans in, making a humming noise while his lips approach Hyunwoo's right cheek. "What about here?" Hyunwoo points at his lips and looks at Hoseok in the eyes, like a puppy begging for treats.

"Okay. But just a quick one," Hoseok smiles and gives Hyunwoo's lips a peck. "We can continue it some other time."

Hyunwoo lets out a satisfied sigh and laughs, "Whatever you say, Teacher Hoseok." Hoseok was halfway out of the car when Hyunwoo stops him with a thought, "Oh, right. Babe? Don't forget that we're going straight to Minhyuk's office after I pick you up from work." Hoseok just gives him a big, awkward nod - he's still not used to being called an endearment like "babe" or "baby" and it shows on his face - and he just waves Hyunwoo goodbye.

* * *

The day goes by quickly when you enjoy what you're doing. That's always been Hoseok's belief. Before he knows it, all of the kids have been picked up by their parents and he and his co-teachers are on their way home. Changkyun and Hyungwon usually carpool. They live close enough to each other, and they say that it's to save the earth. Today, it's Changkyun's turn to drive. But before they get to the employee parking, Changkyun turns to Hoseok, "Hyunwoo hyung is picking you up, right? Can we say hi?" He sounds so excited. Like a kid happy to hear that his favorite cousin is coming to the party.

Hoseok rubs the younger's head, "Of course. Let's go wait by the gate, then."

After a few minutes, Hyunwoo parks his car in front of the school. Today, he's driving a BMW that the company actually sent him - seeing Son Hyunwoo driving around in the car you make is always great publicity. He rolls down the window, "Ready to go, babe?"

"He called Hoseok hyung 'babe'," Changkyun's smacking Hyungwon's arm, more excited for Hoseok's love life than Hoseok is.

"Hey Changkyun, Hyungwon," Hyunwoo gives them a wave and a smile. "Heading home?"

Changkyun nods enthusiastically, "Yup. We're done for the day. You guys going home, too?"

"Nope. We have an appointment to go to," Hoseok interjects. "Anyways. Let's go, Hyunwoo."

"Awww, hyung! Why don't you call him 'babe'?" Hyungwon's quiet until he finds the chance to tease.

"Shut up, man!" Hoseok slams the car door and slowly rolls up the window.

"Guys! Come over to our house sometimes! We'll invite Minhyuk and Jooheon, too!" Hyunwoo's shouting rapidly, making sure that he gets every word in before Hoseok rolls up the window completely. Then, he looks at Hoseok with a smile on his face, "So? How was work?"

Hoseok smiles back as he buckles up. "Great as always. We celebrated this month's birthdays. Hyungwon brought a cake to school and we all shared it. Some of the kids were sad that they had a friend absent," he adjusts himself so he can see Hyunwoo perfectly. "What about you? How was your day?"

"It was good. I had to go to a meeting with my dad. He wants me to do an endorsement for their new cosmetics line. And then went to the main house to have lunch with the parents and my brother. The usual," Hyunwoo shrugs.

"Ooohhh model Hyunwoo."

Hyunwoo laughs, "Shut up."

* * *

They arrive at Minhyuk's office building ten minutes earlier than expected. They walk into the space holding hands and everyone recognizes Hyunwoo right away. A woman - Hoseok estimates that she's a year or two younger than him - welcomes them with a polite bow, "Good afternoon, Mr. Son. You're here earlier than what we anticipated. I'll be guiding you to Mr. Lee's office."

They enter the elevator with the woman entering last. Hyunwoo's still holding onto Hoseok's hand - his thumb making circles on the back of Hoseok's hand. It's become one of Hyunwoo's habits whenever he's trying to ensure that Hoseok feels safe and comfortable. Surprisingly, no one else got into the elevator, and the next thing Hoseok knows, the woman is guiding them through a long hallway. She stops at the very end of the hallway, in front of a door with Minhyuk's name embossed into a plaque. "Mister Lee is waiting for you inside," the woman bows once again.

Hoseok bows back, "Thank you, Miss..."

"Thank you, Haeun," Hyunwoo gives the woman a wave - a signal indicating that he wants some privacy with Minhyuk. The woman - Haeun gives Hyunwoo a nod and walks away.

Hyunwoo opens the door and the first thing he sees is Minhyuk's bright smile. The man never has a bad day and it always shows with the amount of energy he radiates. Mihyuk's wearing a white, striped dress shirt layered with an oversized dark blue cardigan, and paired with a simple pair of jeans. Hyunwoo waves at him, "Hey, Minhyukkie. Must be nice being editor-in-chief, huh. Just being able to wear whatever you want to work."

Minhyuk puffs up his chest and lets out a theatric laugh, "I am the king of this palace." He slides his chair out and walks up to Hyunwoo and Hoseok - the two still holding hands, "Anyways, please take a seat. We're just waiting for one more person to arrive."

"One more person?" Hoseok asks Minhyuk as he sits down.

"Yup. The photographer's supposed to come in today, too. Sorry I couldn't tell you guys since this is a last minute thing." Minhyuk's presses a button on his table, "Haeun, can I bother you for some drinks delivered to my office, please?"

Hyunwoo looks at Hoseok, giving his hand a kiss, "You doing okay?"

"Yeah...yes," Hoseok exhales, not even realizing that he's been holding in his breathe.

"So," Minhyuk rests his face on both his hands, "how's cohabitation?"

Hyunwoo laughs, "Good. Better than good. Great." Hoseok looks at Hyunwoo and catches the other looking at him with eyes full of adoration.

"Ugh. You guys are so sweet it's disgusting," Minhyuk giggles, contradicting everything he just said.

Fifteen minutes pass with just the three of them chatting. Minhyuk tells them about the models with diva attitudes and wardrobes that don't arrive on time for editorials and Hoseok talks about the kids in his class. Moments later, they hear a knock on the door followed by Haeun opening it - balancing a tray of drinks with one hand. "Mr. Lee, I've been informed by the receptionist that Mr. Yoo is here."

Hoseok feels Hyunwoo's whole body tense up - but he's also not letting go of Hoseok's hand. Minhyuk gives Hyunwoo an apologetic smile, confusing Hoseok even more. "Thank you, Haeun. Please have him escorted here."

"Hyunwoo, are you okay?" Hoseok tightens his grip on Hyunwoo's hand, making him snap out of his daze.

Hyunwoo looks at him, "Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay. Just spaced out for a bit."

* * *

The few minutes it took Haeun to escort Mr. Yoo to Minhyuk's office is on top of Hoseok's "Most Awkward Moments" of his life. Minhyuk still has an awkward smile across his face while Hyunwoo is just staring at Minhyuk. Hoseok felt this same suffocating feeling a few weeks ago when he first cooked breakfast for Hyunwoo. They hear another knock at the door, this time Haeun has a person with her. He's smaller in stature than Hoseok, definitely much smaller than Hyunwoo. His hair is parted in the middle, his fringe going slightly past his eyebrows. He's wearing a simple black knit sweater, but even if he's wearing the right size it seems as though he's being drowned by it. Hoseok sees him and automatically thinks  _cute_ and he's sure he's not the only one.

Hyunwoo lets go of his hand. The same hand that he's been holding for the past thirty minutes. Hyunwoo quickly stands up from his seat. He looks like he's in awe, amazed at what he's seeing. Hoseok figures that Hyunwoo's probably starstruck. Maybe Mr. Yoo's a famous photographer or something along the lines. He's about to stand up from his seat to greet Mr. Yoo when he hears Hyunwoo mutter "Kihyunnie", and Hoseok's heart drops.

Suddenly, Hyungwon's words are echoing in his head. Repeating the same phrase over and over again. _That person is his ex, that person is his ex, that person is his ex._ Hoseok's mind is in a panic. He doesn't know what to do and it's showing in his face. He's wide-eyed, tension visible on his neck, and his lips tight. He can't focus on one person alone. He doesn't know whether he should focus on Hyunwoo who's looking at Kihyun the same way he looks at Hoseok, or if he should be looking at Kihyun who has the brightest smile - one that creates creases under his eyes. Kihyun lets out a small chuckle, "You look like you've seen a ghost, hyung."

"Kihyun. Come have a seat," Minhyuk gestures towards the extra chair next to Hyunwoo. Kihyun obliges and makes his way in front of Minhyuk's office table and plops down to the cushioned seat.

"So," Minhyuk clears his throat, "how about some introduction for Hoseok hyung here and our Kihyun."

Kihyun stands up once again, extending a hand past Hyunwoo towards Hoseok, "Nice to meet you, I'm Yoo Kihyun. Hopefully your photographer for this shoot."

"Ah. Yes. I'm Shin Hoseok," he shoots up from his seat and shakes Kihyun's hand. "Nice to meet you, too. I'm looking forward to working with you."

"Our Kihyun here is a well-known photographer. He's done editorials for tons of fashion magazines. He studied in New York and he based his work there too, so he never has time for us anymore. He actually just got back from New York a month ago," Minhyuk proudly announces.

"A month ago? Why did no one tell me?" Hyunwoo shuffles in his seat.

"Hyung," Kihyun laughs, "Jooheon and Minhyuk hyung told me you were busy. So I asked them not to tell you."

Minhyuk nods in agreement, "I felt bad because I couldn't even pick him up from the airport."

At that moment, Hyunwoo vividly remembers Jooheon arriving late during Hoseok's move-in day. Jooheon telling him that he had something important to do but never specifying what it was. "So everyone knew? Everyone but me?"

"Are you sulking?" Kihyun smiles as he rubs Hyunwoo's back. "Come on, Son Hyunwoo, don't be like this. Congrats on the engagement, by the way."

"You knew?" Hyunwoo asks with sad eyes.

Kihyun smiles the brightest smile once again, "Why do you think I'm here? I want to be the photographer for Minhyuk hyung's most important issue and my Hyunwoo hyung's life-changing announcement."

"Kihyunnie. I'm sorry. Sorry, Kihyun." Hyunwoo lowers his head while Kihyun moves his hand to stroke his hair. Kihyun's eyes are full of empathy, and it fills Hoseok with curiosity. He knows that Hyunwoo is leaving something unsaid, he knows that Hyunwoo isn't apologizing about not being able to pick up his friend from the airport. But at this moment, Hoseok wants nothing else but to hold Hyunwoo's hand. To let everyone in the room know that Hyunwoo is his now. But he can't do it, he can't interfere. Not when this is one of the only times that he's seen Hyunwoo be so honest with his feelings.

"It's okay, Hyunwoo. You have nothing to be sorry for," Kihyun's still stroking Hyunwoo's hair. And something with the way he said Hyunwoo's name made Hoseok uneasy.

Minhyuk clears his throat once again and Hoseok breaths a sigh of relief, "So. Shall we get on with the meeting?"

Kihyun gives him a nod and takes out a folder full of reference photos, all of them from editorials that Kihyun himself have shot in the past. Minhyuk talks about wanting to do an outdoor photo shoot and is met with collective protest. It's already too cold for an outdoor photo shoot and Hyunwoo notes that Hoseok gets sick easily. They agree that it's going to be an indoor shoot and move on to the theme. Minhyuk pulls out a catalog of new designs - some yet to be released - from well-known fashion houses. Kihyun and Minhyuk agree that the subjects of the shoot would look amazing in street style, and Minhyuk hurriedly jots down the ideas. He's so excited that he even asks Hoseok if he'd be okay with bright red hair, with a temporary dye of course. Hoseok sighs and agrees. He's fine with anything, long as it won't interfere with his job as a teacher.

It took them longer than expected, but all the details for the shoot are finalized. Minhyuk informs Hoseok and Hyunwoo of when and where the shoot will be held and reassures Hoseok that he'll do just fine. He clasps both of Hoseok's hands and looks him straight in the eyes, "Trust me Hoseok hyung. You are a beautiful man. All you need to do is bring yourself and I'll be thankful."

* * *

After the meeting, Minhyuk invites them for dinner. "A good friend of mine recently opened a restaurant. Let's go. My treat," he says.

Minhyuk takes Kihyun in his car since the man doesn't own one in Korea. The two of them are rowdy, excited to see each other again after years. Hyunwoo's car, on the other hand, is quiet during the drive to the restaurant. He doesn't say anything and Hoseok just anxiously watches him. But something in Hyunwoo's expression has softened, unlike when he first saw Kihyun. Now, Hyunwoo's eyes are nostalgic, like he wants to relive memories with Minhyuk and Kihyun. Hoseok can't say anything because really, what right does he have? He wasn't in Hyunwoo's life yet when Kihyun was a part of it, and it feels like Hoseok is invading something extremely personal if he does ask.

They arrive at the restaurant with just silence between them. The other two waits for them in front of the building so they can be seated all together. It's a restaurant that specializes in western cuisine. From pasta to steaks, even chicken wings for appetizers. Kihyun orders two plates of the chicken wings for the table and Minhyuk notes that his taste has not changed at all. Hyunwoo orders a filet mignon with a side of asparagus, and Hoseok decides on the same thing. Minhyuk orders fish and chips. The table was full of laughter and stories from the past, and Hoseok wishes that he met Hyunwoo and his friends earlier.

The appetizers arrive pretty quickly. It's still fresh and clearly still hot. It's golden and crispy, and the group watches Kihyun practically drool all over the table. Hyunwoo chuckles and grabs a piece. He skilfully starts deboning the wing - looking like he's done it a million times before and gives it to Kihyun. "I know you can't wait to eat," Hyunwoo adds with a soft smile.

Hoseok's heart hurts just a little bit. He tries to tell himself that Kihyun and Hyunwoo's gaze doesn't mean anything more than friendship, but Hyungwon's voice remains in his head.  _That person is his ex, that person is his ex, that person is his ex._ He stays quiet for most of the dinner. Only answering with nods, _mm-hmm_ s, and _yeahs_ when the other three asks him questions. Hoseok feels mad at himself. He feels as if he's back in high school, getting mad that his crush is talking to someone else. He's also mad at Hyunwoo. The man doesn't even notice that his own fiance is sulking.

They all finish their meals after two hours. Now saying goodbye by their parked cars, Hoseok waves a weak goodbye at Minhyuk and Kihyun while Hyunwoo stays behind to have a quick chat with the two. He slumps down the passenger seat, just waiting for Hyunwoo to finish talking to his friends. A few minutes pass and Hyunwoo finally opens the door to the driver's side, "Ready to go?"

"Yeah," Hoseok replies weakly.

* * *

Hoseok makes a run for his room as soon as they get home. He plops onto his bed and smashes his face against a pillow. This day really went from good to bad to worst. He doesn't want Hyunwoo to see him in the state that he is now, especially not when they're all alone at home.  _Forget about it, Hoseok. You're just being paranoid._ He hears a knock on his door. There's no point in asking who it is - there's only two of them in the big house, after all, so he opts for a soft "What do you want?"

Hyunwoo slowly opens the door to Hoseok's room, and the younger sneaks a peek at him. He's wearing matching pajamas, ones that Hoseok gave him as a gift. He tiptoes towards Hoseok's bed and sits at the end of the bed and calls Hoseok with a gentle voice, "Hoseok. Shin Hoseok. Hoseokkie. Hoseok-ah. Baby." The last one got a reaction from Hoseok.

"What is it?" Hoseok's now visibly pouting.

"Are you mad at me?"

Silence.

Hyunwoo quietly makes his way next to Hoseok, slowly lying down, "Hoseokkie. Babe." He brushes up the hair covering Hoseok's eyes and finds tears.

"Maybe I am mad at you," Hoseok sniffles.

"I'm sorry."

"You should be."

"I'm really sorry," Hyunwoo gives him a big embrace, tucking Hoseok's head under his chin.

"I was jealous, you know," Hoseok's writing his name with his finger over and over again on Hyunwoo's chest. Hoping that it'll become a charm to keep Hyunwoo all to himself.  _Shin. Ho. Seok. Shin. Ho. Seok._

"Ah. So you were jealous," Hyunwoo chuckles.

"Stupid. At least notice it."

"I'm really sorry."

Hoseok can't hold it any longer and just blurts it out, "Kihyun. He was your ex, right?"

Hyunwoo falls silent, his hold on Hoseok tightening. Hoseok huffs - he really didn't know what he expected Hyunwoo would do. But then Hyunwoo gives him an answer, "It was something like that. I guess."

"You guess?" Hoseok looks up at Hyunwoo, bringing back the pout.

"It was complicated."

"Will you tell me the full story someday?"

Hyunwoo nods and smiles, "Yeah. Someday."

"Promise, okay?" Hoseok's lids are heavy, threatening sleep.

"Promise," Hyunwoo tilts his neck, checking to see if Hoseok is falling asleep. "Besides," Hyunwoo strokes Hoseok's cheeks, feeling how soft it is, "I'm all yours now, Hoseok. I'm sorry for making you feel less than that," Hoseok nods and Hyunwoo can feel him smile against his chest. "Good night, Hoseokkie," he gives Hoseok one last kiss before they both fall asleep in each other's embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pros of showho: cute af all the uwus  
> cons of showho: i literally cannot write them being sad


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A photoshoot chapter with barely any of the actual photoshoot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter, we're tying all loose ends! and hyunwoo will reveal the surprise

"Hyung, can you look to the camera for this one?" Kihyun waves a finger, trying to get Hyunwoo's attention and Hyunwoo complies, "Yup! Just like that. Okay, solo shots are done. Jiwoo, outfit change please."

Jiwoo, their stylist for the day, leads them back to the dressing room to get changed where her assistants - as well as hair and makeup - are waiting. She orders one of the girls to take Hoseok behind the curtained off section of the room to get dressed while Hyunwoo gets his makeup retouched. Min, one of the makeup artists, goes in front of Hyunwoo to reapply some lip tint, "Hyunwoo-ya, you have really nice lips."

Hyunwoo laughs, trying not to move his face too much, "You say the same thing every time we work together."

"She's right though," Kihyun peeks through the dressing room door, flashing his bright smile as usual.

Hyunwoo spins from his chair - excited to hear Kihyun's voice, "Kihyunnie! Does Mr. Photographer need a break?

"Turn around," Kihyun laughs, the dimples under his eyes reappearing, "Min's not done doing your makeup."

"Right," Hyunwoo spins back around and gives his makeup artist an apologetic smile. Then, he feels Kihyun sitting next to him. Hyunwoo keeps his head still, but his eyes are following Kihyun's every move, "So? What are you doing here?"

"Just wanted to check on my models, where's future Mr. Son?" Kihyun's looking around, trying to find any signs of Hoseok.

Hyunwoo puckers his lip, pointing it to the curtained-off section of the room, "He's over there. Changing."

"Ahhh. Wow. I can't believe the same Son Hyunwoo I knew from college is getting married. The same Son Hyunwoo who couldn't even cook scrambled eggs," Kihyun rests his head on Hyunwoo's shoulder. "You've changed a lot, hyung."

"I've got you to thank for everything," Hyunwoo reaches out his right hand to ruffle Kihyun's hair.

Kihyun nods - his eyes closed, and Hyunwoo watches him through the mirror. There are so many things unsaid between the two of them. Years of hurt and lost. When Kihyun left, Hyunwoo had no idea how to continue. Minhyuk and Jooheon were the witnesses to his spiral. He started closing off, never letting people who were not the two of them near his heart. The colors faded, and Hyunwoo felt like a machine just programmed to survive. He did the same routine every day, doing whatever's required to live.

His friends would invite him to go out, and he would automatically say yes, hoping that he can feel at least a little bit of joy through shallow meetings with other people. It's also the reason why he agreed to Minhyuk setting him up with women. Every new woman that Minhyuk introduced to him, Hyunwoo always thought  _"Ah, maybe this is the one."_ But it was always just meaningless sex. There was still something missing. Something he had with Kihyun that he couldn't replicate. The longest relationship he had after Kihyun was a mere two months. Hyunwoo never even told the poor girl that he likes her.

And then he met Hoseok. Hoseok who greets him with a small kiss on the nose every morning. Hoseok who cutely invites him to clean the house together every Sunday. Hoseok who pouts when something doesn't go his way. Hoseok who loves to be spoiled. In all honesty, Hoseok is the complete opposite of Kihyun. Kihyun enjoys taking care of others compared to Hoseok who likes being taken care of. Kihyun's gracefulness compared to Hoseok's clumsiness. But as cheesy as it sounds, Hoseok gave Hyunwoo's life a new and different meaning. Once his future husband came around, he suddenly started living in color again. His days are instantly better just knowing that Hoseok will be beside him. "Kihyunnie," Hyunwoo mumbles under his breath.

"Hm?" Kihyun looks without lifting his head from Hyunwoo's shoulder.

"Can we talk? Just the two of us?" Hyunwoo's still playing with Kihyun's hair.

"Anytime."

* * *

Hoseok's getting changed for their couple shots when he hears Kihyun's voice on the other side of the room. It's distant, but Hoseok knows that he's talking to Hyunwoo. His heart is wavering. He knows to trust Hyunwoo, but his mind whispers vile thoughts at the same time. He finishes putting on a long black coat and then looks at his stylist, "Hwayoung-ah, is it okay if I just get some fresh air outside?" Hwayoung gives him a nod, and he lifts the curtains to head for the exit.

As Hoseok makes his way to the door, he sneaks a glance at Hyunwoo on the makeup chair. And it feels like someone slapped him. Kihyun's head is rested on Hyunwoo's shoulder while Hyunwoo plays with the younger's hair. _They really look like lovers like this._ Hoseok averts his gaze and walks out of the room, Hyunwoo and Kihyun never realizing that he saw. Jooheon's on the other side of the door, surprising Hoseok with his charming smile, "Hoseok-hyung, how's the shoot going?"

Hoseok shushes Jooheon and drags him away from the dressing room, confusing the group's youngest. They end up at the building's coffee shop, both of them with iced americanos in their hands, "Sorry. I dragged you out here."

"It's all good. So? What's up?" Jooheon waits for an answer while sipping his drink.

Hoseok shakes his head. "It's just. Kihyun and Hyunwoo were having a little moment back there. I didn't want to disrupt them," Hoseok forces a smile.

Jooheon gives him a frown. In the time that he's known Jooheon, Hoseok has grown fond of him. He's the cutest kid Hoseok has ever seen, and he can even boldly say that Jooheon is cuter than his younger brother. Something about Jooheon is irresistible. He's adorable, the complete opposite of the image that the public is trying to push on him as a budding artist. "Are you okay? Hyunwoo-hyung told you, right?"

"Yeah. Yeah, he did," Hoseok nods.

"Everything?"

"Not yet."

"Then-" Hoseok puts a hand against Jooheon's mouth.

"Please! Please don't say anything. I want Hyunwoo to be the one to tell me _everything._ " Hoseok shuts his eyes tightly.

Jooheon's wide-eyed and nodding, then he smiles at Hoseok, "Man. Our hyung lucked out with you. You have your full trust in him."

"Please don't say that. Even though I know to trust Hyunwoo, I'm plenty jealous. Just now, I wanted to grab Hyunwoo away from Kihyun and announce to everyone in the room that Hyunwoo's mine," Hoseok lowers his head, ashamed.

"I don't understand. That's just called being in love, right?" Jooheon cocks his head to the side in genuine confusion.

"Jooheon-ah..." Hoseok prolongs the last vowel of Jooheon's name and sniffles, trying to fight back tears once again. Now he knows that he can count on Jooheon to make him feel better whenever he's having a shitty day.

Jooheon panics and grabs some paper napkins from the shop's counter, "Hyung! Please don't cry! It'll ruin your makeup! Hyunwoo-hyung and Minhyuk-hyung and Kihyun-hyung will all be mad at me. Especially Hyunwoo-hyung!" He tries to give some of the napkins to Hoseok, but Hoseok passes it and gives him a big hug instead. He pats Hoseok's head and sighs, "Have more confidence in yourself. He likes you. And If Hyunwoo-hyung ever makes you cry again, give me a call. I'll be on your side for this one."

"Even if Hyunwoo beats you up?"

Jooheon laughs, "Hyunwoo-hyung can never do that to me, so I'm the ideal back-up."

"Thanks," Hoseok pulls away wiping away tears with the back of his hand.

Jooheon tries to offer Hoseok paper napkins once again, this time with the older accepting it, "Anytime."

* * *

"Lee Jooheon!" Minhyuk's voice booms in the otherwise peaceful coffee shop. Hoseok and Jooheon are sitting at one of the shop's tables, close to the ceiling to floor glass windows - for prime sunshine, complete with cushioned chairs. Hoseok has stopped crying, but he refuses to go back to the shoot until his eyes are no longer red. "What the hell man, I thought we agreed that you're going to wait for me in the dressing room. You weren't even there when I got there. Even Hyunwoo-hyung and Kihyun didn't know where you were. And you even dragged Hoseok-hyung with you."

Jooheon's scratching his head, obviously irritated with Minhyuk's nagging, "Hey! He offered free americano, and I'll never say no to free."

"You act like you don't have all the money in the world," Minhyuk sits next to Hoseok and focuses on him. "Hyung, how's the shoot? Is Kihyun mean to you?" Minhyuk nudges him, obviously teasing.

Hoseok was about to answer with a laugh when he sees Hyunwoo approaching the table, Kihyun closely following behind him. He stands in front of Minhyuk and stares him down, "Move. I wanna sit next to Hoseok."

"Ooohhh, bossy," Minhyuk rolls his eyes at Hyunwoo and makes his way to Jooheon, the youngest pointing at him and snickering at what just happened. Kihyun steals a chair from the other tables and sets it up next to Minhyuk and Jooheon.

Hyunwoo positions himself next to Hoseok. He stays quiet, but his hand snakes its way to grab Hoseok's. He fiancé looks startled, unsure of how to respond at the unexpected touch. Hyunwoo interlocks their fingers, the same way he's done in the past. He's still eerily quiet, and his eyebrows are furrowed. He finally inhales a deep breath and lets out a loud exhale. "Hoseokkie, you had me worried. We couldn't find you anywhere," Hyunwoo brings Hoseok's hand to his lips.

"Sorry," Hoseok gives an awkward smile. "I told Hwayoung I needed some air," he points at Jooheon, "and then I met him at the lobby and we just got to chatting."

Kihyun sucks in air. "I'm sorry. Did I work you too much?" He looks genuinely concerned, and Hoseok feels guilty for even thinking that Kihyun is anything but pleasant.

"Ah. No, no. You've been nothing but helpful today," Hoseok dismisses Kihyun's concern with a wave. "Even though it's Hyunwoo who should be guiding me through this," he adds teasingly, hoping that this will put Hyunwoo's mind at ease.

Hyunwoo finally lets out a laugh. "Hey, I thought you were doing a great job. You didn't need any coaching."

"Is everything moving along smoothly? I'd like this to be a part of the latest issue we're releasing," Minhyuk's suddenly in business mode, staring at Kihyun seriously.

"Yeah, yeah. You know I work efficiently. No problems here," Kihyun announces nonchalantly. "What about your part? Everything good?" He cocks an eyebrow, seemingly provoking Minhyuk.

"No shit, it's done," Minhyuk hisses at Kihyun, successfully provoked. "Managed to negotiate with the supposed cover girl's agency, so we're moving her to next issue."

"Wait," Hoseok's taken aback, "Hyunwoo and I are gonna be in the cover?"

Minhyuk shrugs, as if to tell Hoseok  _duh,_ "Auntie will kill me if I give her son-in-law anything less. So we're gonna plaster your faces on the cover."

Kihyun stands up from his seat and stretches his back, "Well, if everyone's well-rested, shall we finish the shoot?"

"Ready?" Hyunwoo brushes Hoseok's hair back, lingering just long enough for Hoseok to feel his warmth. Hoseok closes his eyes and nods with pursed lips. Hyunwoo's suddenly struck with an urge. An urge that he's had almost every day since he started living with Hoseok. He moves closer to Hoseok's ear, making sure that the man will hear every syllable of what he's about to say. He cups Hoseok's face between his hands, the other's cheeks feeling like marshmallows under his thumbs. He leans over and whispers right into Hoseok's ear, making sure that it's loud enough for the rest of his friends to hear. He uses a voice that he's never used before - one that he's sure will entice Hoseok, "I want to kiss you right now."

"Okay!" Minhyuk jumps up from his seat. "If we're all sick of Hyunwoo-hyung's PDA let's go back to the shoot."

Hoseok tails Minhyuk and Kihyun right away, ears red and soft cheeks completely warm. His eyes dart back to Hyunwoo, still sitting down, to read his facial expression. Hoseok needs to know if he was serious or not. He sees the other's eyes following him, and he couldn't help but shift his gaze. Hoseok knows that Hyunwoo can be flirty and playful with him in private, but he never expected him to show this side in front of their friends.

Hyunwoo leans forward and rests his elbows on his thighs. He recalls the feeling of Hoseok's cheeks against his hand, the look bewilderment in his eyes, and Hyunwoo couldn't help but laugh. His thoughts get interrupted by a figure looming over him. Jooheon's standing right in front of him, hands on his hips, and a poor excuse of an angry frown on his face. Hyunwoo couldn't help but chuckle at his friend's sad attempt at being angry. "What is it?"

"Hyung," Jooheon's frown is turning into a pout, "don't rile him up too much."

"Him?"

"Hoseok-hyung!" Jooheon shuffles next to Hyunwoo's side as he starts walking back to the studio.

"Since when are you two so close?" Hyunwoo's genuinely wondering.

"Hmph. I guess Hoseok-hyung has secrets, too," Jooheon crosses his arms - feeling triumphant.

That one earns him a glare from Hyunwoo. "We don't have secrets."

"Then why won't you tell him everything?"

"I will!" Hyunwoo looks exasperated, "I will. I just- I just need to have a clean break from Kihyun."

* * *

The rest of the shoot was a piece of cake for all parties involved. Hoseok became more and more familiar with the camera, and he started showing more expressions. Hyunwoo watched over him proudly, Kihyun managing to get snapshots of him looking at Hoseok with eyes full of love. At one point, Kihyun asked for them to be more intimate with each other, and Hoseok panicked. He didn't know what to do, where to put his hands, or what his facial expressions are supposed to be.

That's when Hyunwoo stepped up and coached him on what to do. "Baby, come here," Hyunwoo grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him closer. Hyunwoo caught Hoseok's chin between his thumb and index finger. "Open your mouth - just a little bit, and grab the clothes around my arms. Look me in the eyes," he said it in such a low, soft voice, Hoseok felt shivers down his spine. He then tilted Hoseok's chin, gave him a look that can only be described as lustful, and looked at the camera. 

Hyunwoo took the intimacy concept to the next level, using it as an excuse to feel Hoseok against him. He came up with poses that progressively upped the risqué factor that even Minhyuk had to step in and veto them. "Hyung, I love both of you with all my heart. But please. For the love of God. Please think about the person who will be editing these," were his exact words.

After the photoshoot was the interview, conducted by Minhyuk himself. He gave simple prompts like Hoseok introducing himself to straightforward questions like "Who's the morning person and who's the night owl?" and "Who takes longer to get ready?" Minhyuk made it clear that the goal of the interview is for people to know them on the surface level, not to dig deep into their personal feelings. He made the interview fun - even cracking jokes from time to time, and it made Hoseok feel at ease.

Overall, the shoot is a huge success. Hoseok has overcome most of his worries about the project, all thanks to Hyunwoo. Now all they need to do is wait for the release. Hoseok sees Hyunwoo finishing up a conversation with Kihyun. Once Kihyun walked away, Hoseok approaches Hyunwoo from behind, wrapping his arms around his torso. He rests his chin on Hyunwoo's shoulder and looks at him, "Thank you for today."

Hyunwoo gives him a warm smile, gently pinching his cheeks, "You did great today, babe."

Hoseok nuzzles Hyunwoo's shoulders, feeling proud of the compliment. "What were you guys talking about? You and Kihyun."

"I'm meeting him next week, just need to talk out some things with him." Hyunwoo's still playing with Hoseok's cheeks, unable to resist how squishy they are.

"I see," Hoseok activates his puppy eyes. "Can I come?"

Hyunwoo lets out half a laugh, "Cute. But not for this one, baby."

"I see," Hoseok repeats his words, this time said sulkily.

"Sorry," Hyunwoo breaks from the back hug and faces Hoseok, giving him a peck on the lips. "But after I talk to him, there's also something you need to know."

"What is it?" Hoseok's dying to know, he's never been good with people keeping things from him.

"A surprise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i also want to release a bonus chapter with the magazine interview ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ


	6. The Issue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's a little extra chapter for everyone! let's all take a little break lol  
> regular chapters will be back next week!

**Son Hyunwoo**. You might have heard of the name before. He's from the Son Family, one of Korea's richest. From your clothes to the food you eat to the apps you play. Chances are, they are all from the Son Conglomerate. They have taken over fashion to tech and everything in between. His father is lauded as a genius as the one to bring Son Conglomerate into the competitive international market. His older brother is poised as the one to take over once their father retires, but Hyunwoo reassured us that there is no bad blood between them. He even excitedly shared with us that his sister-in-law will be giving birth within a month of this interview's publication. "I'm excited to meet the baby," was what he said with such childlike playfulness.

Hyunwoo is a part of the Son Family, but he is a separate identity at the same time. He decided not to get directly involved with the business side of the family business. Instead, he has become Son Conglomerate's face, as well as the face of many other brands. Some say that it's thanks to his mother's past as a model and his family connections, but in the generation of smartphones and connectivity, he has cemented himself as Korea's most influential. He wears something once, and it becomes sold out minutes after.

He is one of the most sought out brand endorsers. He's a favorite for big fashion brands. He is often modeling for the likes of Versace, Gucci, Balenciaga. You name a high-fashion brand, Hyunwoo has most definitely worn and posed for it at one point in time. He told us that he wasn't expecting this amount of fame. He honestly just wanted to go out with friends, have fun at clubs, but the paparazzi photos caught the eyes of the public. And that's when being a public figure/model became his full-time career.

Hyunwoo has also had his fair share of headlines, mostly when he gets caught up in dating rumors. He has dated actresses, models, idols. Who can forget when he was spotted at a club with Korea's supermodel, alongside his best friends Jooheon and Minhyuk. The public saw him with all of these beautiful women, so how come none of them seem to stick around? Hyunwoo just laughed and shrugged at the question with a shy "no comment" added at the end; he also gave the man sitting next to him a nervous smile.

But who exactly is this man? He's slightly smaller in stature than Hyunwoo, but with good looks that rivals his. He gives off a warm aura that makes everyone around him feel at ease. His name is **Shin Hoseok** , and he's none other than Hyunwoo's fiance. This announcement might come as a shock for a lot, but yes, Son Hyunwoo is engaged - and sources have told us that the wedding preparations are going smoothly.

Hoseok and Hyunwoo's story honestly seems like it's straight out of a fairytale. Hoseok is the complete opposite of our rich boy. Granted, he's not dirt poor, but he comes from a very humble family. Both his parents used to work for one of the Son companies, and that's how their families became acquainted with each other.

Hoseok himself is a kindergarten teacher. He talked to us about how much he loves his job, and how every single kid in his class brings him joy. He then went on about how he enjoys the fact that his co-teachers are also his best friends, ones that can also be his support system. We talked about the fact that if he followed his parents' wish for him to pursue a business course, then "[he] might have met Hyunwoo a lot sooner."

We visited the site for the photo shoot, which the magazine's editor-in-chief himself - Mr. Lee Minhyuk, was supervising. It was hectic and loud, stylists and makeup artists running to Hoseok's and Hyunwoo's side in between takes for touch-ups. The photographer for the shoot was none other than Mr. Yoo Kihyun, a man who has worked with the likes of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and W magazine. Mr. Yoo's assistant informed us that this is Hoseok's first photo shoot and that Mr. Yoo had given the newbie nothing but praise.

Hyunwoo and his fiance were nothing but sweet in the set. Hyunwoo guided Hoseok through the poses. They often exchanged loving glances and burst into laughter, trying to get rid of any lingering awkwardness. The rest of the crew were in high spirits as well, feeding off the energy that the models were giving them. The shoot went on for several hours, with some breaks in between, of course. After the shoot, Editor-in-chief Lee took over and personally interviewed the couple, for a more personal look into their life. We would like to thank Mr. Son Hyunwoo and Mr. Shin Hoseok for granting us the privilege of having this exclusive announcement. As well as Mr. Lee Minhyuk and Mr. Yoo Kihyun for personally taking part in this project.

 **Q: So, why are we here?**  
**HYUNWOO:** [laughing] You tell us, Minhyuk. Why are we here?  
**HOSEOK:** Be nice, Hyunwoo. [teasingly] I heard Minnie paid a bagful of money to get this interview.  
**Q: Please be nicer to me~ So? What's the real reason why you chose to announce your engagement now?**  
**HYUNWOO:** We figured, that if not now, when will we announce it? We'd instead share it with the public than us trying to be private and the paparazzi invading said privacy.  
**HOSEOK:** Yep. We want to be the ones to tell everyone instead of them finding out about it from some cheap tabloid. Plus, we're hoping that with this, we're hoping that there'd be fewer people hiding in the bushes trying to get photos of us. [laughs]  
**Q:** **It must be tough marrying a certified celebrity. How are you coping being engaged and living with Hyunwoo?**  
**HOSEOK:** A lot has changed, but at the same time nothing has changed. Hyunwoo makes sure that everything stays the same for me. I still go to the same job, but this time Hyunwoo drives me to work every day. I always cook all my meals, but this time I'm preparing for two. It's the little things that changed. [smiles] It's just like having a wealthy roommate?  
**Q: What about Hyunwoo? What changed after Hoseok moved in?**  
**HYUNWOO** : Well. Firstly, I now eat more than cereal for breakfast. I now wake up at the right time to eat breakfast. The house is livelier with Hoseok. I found friends in his friends, and I'm glad Hoseok has made friends with you and Jooheon, too. What else? I don't know what to say. [shyly] Everyday has just been more fun ever since Hoseok entered my life.  
**HOSEOK:** [laughing] What the hell! That's so cheesy!  
**Q: Since we're here, let's play a little bit of the newly-wed game!  
****HYUNWOO:** Oh, boy.  
**Q: First question! Who takes longer to get ready in the morning?  
****HOSEOK:** [sheepishly raises his hand] It's me, right? I feel like it's me.  
**HYUNWOO:** There's no competition, babe.  
**HOSEOK:** [laughs] You're supposed to disagree to make me feel better!  
**HYUNWOO:** He's kinda surprising, though. [laughs] He's always looking great. He sometimes even styles what I wear.  
**Q: Question two. Who's the night owl, and who's the early bird?  
****HOSEOK:** Hyunwoo is definitely a night owl. It's hard to wake him up.[laughs]  
**HYUNWOO:** [scratching his head] Sorry about that. Seokkie's both, though. He always stays up late with me, but somehow he's also a morning person.  
**Q: What are your nicknames for each other?  
****HYUNWOO:** Hoseokkie, Seokkie, Bun...Babe? Baby?  
**Q:** What about Hoseok? Any nicknames for Hyunwoo?  
**HOSEOK:** I call him Woo sometimes.  
**HYUNWOO:** I'm still waiting for him to call me baby~  
**Q: What's one thing that you want to do with each other?  
****HOSEOK:** I never have time to do it because I spend half of my day in school and the other half making lesson plans, but I really want to work-out with Hyunwoo! I wanna be gym buddies.  
**HYUNWOO:** Ooh, that sounds like a good idea. Let's go once you have a break from school. [deep breath] Hmm... For me, I want to go to the beach. Once the weather is less cold, let's go to the beach, Seokkie.  
**HOSEOK:** Sure, Woo~  
**Q: Are friends, a.k.a me, invited on this trip?  
****HYUNWOO:** Ah. [laughs] Let this one be just a couple's trip.  
**Q: Lastly, is there anything else that you want each other to know?  
****HOSEOK:** Ahh, you're gonna make me cry. [shy laughter] Mmm... I just want to thank Hyunwoo. For everything. I'm lucky to be the one marrying him.  
**HYUNWOO:** If he's lucky with me, then I guess I'm blessed. Everything about you is ideal, Hoseok. I wouldn't want to be marrying anyone else.


	7. Endings and Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi! i'm back! sorry if this update took quite some time. i was (still am??) suffering from a mild case of writer's block. regardless, i hope you enjoy this chapter (ಥ﹏ಥ)

The first time he met Kihyun, Minhyuk had dragged him over to the campus cafe to meet a friend. It was Minhyuk’s first week of college, and he had asked Hyunwoo to be his guide. Hyunwoo obliged, and in exchange, Minhyuk offered him a cup of iced americano. A small figure waved at Minhyuk and signaled them towards a booth. Minhyuk introduced Hyunwoo, and the man gave a polite bow while he gave his name as well, “Yoo Kihyun. It’s nice to meet you.” Kihyun had a big smile on his face, and he got Hyunwoo's attention. He didn't seem like the type that Minhyuk would befriend, and yet they've been in contact almost every day since the orientation.

He sat in front of Kihyun as the two freshmen started comparing their schedules for the semester. At one point, one of the cafe’s baristas personally delivered their orders and slipped a note with her number on it under Hyunwoo’s croissant. He barely noticed it though, because he was unconsciously watching Kihyun. He observed how the other’s forehead became wrinkled with confusion when Minhyuk was making no sense, and how he twiddled his thumbs on top of the table as he listened to Minhyuk's ramblings. Kihyun was something Hyunwoo has never encountered before, but he could never put it into words. He found Kihyun extremely cute, and that was a rare occurrence for Hyunwoo.

Kihyun bid his farewell after an hour; he had a class with a professor who was notorious with attendance. Hyunwoo hesitated before moving next to Minhyuk, "Hey."

"What do you want?" Minhyuk's focus was on his syllabus for his marketing course.

"Which department is Kihyun in?"

"Fine Arts? All I know is he wants to be a professional photographer."

"Is this your way of making connections? You're aiming for editor-in-chief for some fashion magazine, right?"

"Maybe so."

"Interesting. Interesting," Hyunwoo was playing with a half-eaten croissant, he was only half-listening to Minhyuk's monotonous replies. "So...when are you meeting Kihyun again?"

A devilish grin formed on Minhyuk's lips as he hit Hyunwoo on the arm, "Why are you so curious? Are you crushing on my friend?"

"Maybe. Now tell me."

"Absolutely not, Son Hyunwoo! You are not going after him!"

"Come on! I'll help you with your stats assignments whenever you need me to," Hyunwoo raised an eyebrow - he had hoped that his bribe would work.

And it did. Minhyuk let out a constrained groan before he finally agreed, "Fine! But I swear, hyung, if I ever see Kihyun cry."

* * *

Hoseok has the whole house to himself right now. Hyunwoo left the house a couple of hours ago, giving him a quick kiss on the lips before running to the door; he seemed nervous and a little out of it. Hoseok's thinking of ways to entertain himself while he waits for his fiance's return. The entire house is spick and span, so he can't do much in terms of cleaning. Hyunwoo said that he didn't need to prepare dinner, so he can't even do that. Even his lesson plans are all done. Hoseok dives face first into the couch and dials Changkyun's phone.

"Yellow," Changkyun answers in a sing-song voice.  
"You're free right now."  
"Is that a question?"  
"No," Hoseok groans as he shifts his body around, "I'm saying that you're free right now."  
"Okay?" Changkyun's confused, "What do you want me to do about it?"  
"Come over."  
"Is Hyunwoo-hyung there?"  
"Nope."  
"Awww."  
"Im Changkyun, I am your original friend in this house."  
"Fineeee."  
"I tried calling Hyungwon, but he's not answering."  
"Oh yeah. Hyung told me last night that he has plans today. I dunno, probably a date or something."  
"Interesting. New person?"  
"Most probably."  
"Anyways. Come over so we can gossip about Hyungwon some more. I'll order pizza and wings."

Changkyun and the pizza arrived almost at the same time. Hoseok ordered two large pizzas and three boxes of chicken wings-each box with different seasonings. He also went into the fridge and grabbed multiple cans of Hyunwoo's beer to share with Changkyun. He mouthed a quick "Sorry, hun" before shuffling to the living room while hugging the cold drinks.

"Holy shit, that's a lot of beer," Changkyun has already grabbed a wing, deboning it the way Hyunwoo taught him to.

"Be quiet. This is Hyunwoo's favorite brand, and he gets a little sensitive when we run out, but we don't have anything else in the fridge right now."

"Repay him some other way. Wink wink."

"Why didn't you just wink?"

"That's really what caught your attention from what I said?" Changkyun grabs another slice. The kid has a black hole for a stomach-much like Hoseok, "Hyung, why did you call me here? I know for sure we're not about to gossip about Hyungwon-hyung."

"You got me there," Hoseok lets out an awkward laugh. "Sorry, I just didn't want to be alone today."

"Where's Hyunwoo-hyung?"

"Went out to meet with Kihyun."

"Who's that?"

"His ex."

"Ex-" Changkyun nearly choked on the slice of pizza he was working on, "excuse me?! And you let him?"

Hoseok sighs, looking up at the ceiling, "They need this."

"Hyung, are you okay?" Changkyun's brows warped into ones full of worry.

"Yeah. Of course, I am," Hoseok ruffles the younger's hair-his way of showing appreciation. "By the way, I called Jooheon over, too. Don't eat all of the pizza by yourself."

* * *

Kihyun became the one constant thing in Hyunwoo's life. They were by each other's side for the ups and downs. Hyunwoo made sure to attended every one of his photography exhibits. He was there to support his boyfriend every step of the way of his dream of becoming a world-known photographer-he even modeled for Kihyun's portfolio. He made Hyunwoo appreciate the smaller things in life. The sunlight streaming into Kihyun's one bedroom apartment as they woke up together, their casual dates- exploring back alley coffee shops and mom and pop shops that Kihyun's friends shared with him. They had late night walks in the river when they had trouble sleeping, talking about the good things that happened to them that day. Kihyun was Hyunwoo's happiness, and he never wanted to let go of it.

Now, they find themselves sitting at another back alley cafe. The atmosphere is serene, and it was almost quiet if not for the muted acoustic alternative music playing throughout the shop. Two students have their heads buried in their textbooks, only speaking to each other when one needs clarification about something. Kihyun and Hyunwoo sit in front of each other, taking in the calm all around them. Hyunwoo ordered Kihyun a latte while he stuck with his usual Americano order. "Some things never change, huh," Kihyun fondly smiles at Hyunwoo, finally breaking the silence.

"Yeah," Hyunwoo exhales, not even knowing that he's been holding his breath. "Yeah."

"You know," Kihyun stares at his latte-unable to look at Hyunwoo, "I regretted it. I think I still do. Not properly ending everything, leaving you clueless. All this time I was in contact with Minhyuk, hell even Jooheon, but I couldn't bring myself to send you just one message."

"Why didn't you?"

"I was afraid of what your reaction was gonna be. I didn't even know how you would react about me being back, but then when you saw me walk through the door that day, and you weren't angry at all. You welcomed me back like I didn't leave you in the dust. I felt like such a piece of shit for not cherishing the love you gave me back in the day," Kihyun lets out a laugh, trying to mask how shaky his voice has become.

"I made a promise with Minhyuk that I'll never make you cry, but here you are crying into your latte," Hyunwoo reaches his hand over to Kihyun and wipes away his tears.

Kihyun chuckles and finally looks Hyunwoo in the eyes, "Don't worry, I'll tell him this one's on me."

"It's not though. It's no one's fault. I never once blamed you for anything," Hyunwoo rests his chin on his hand. "You had dreams, you followed them. Now, look at you. I'm proud."

"Thanks. Thank you," Kihyun felt relief surge through his body. Almost like years of regret and misery finally abandoned him.

"But I'm sorry," Hyunwoo gives him a solemn smile, "I'm sorry I couldn't wait for you."

"I saw the way he looks at you. You make him happy. Does he make you happy?"

"The happiest I've ever felt."

Kihyun caresses Hyunwoo's hand, "Then keep that happiness."

"I'll always have love for you, Kihyun," Hyunwoo takes Kihyun's hand, giving his knuckles a peck.

"Me, too. Thank you, Hyunwoo."

* * *

They sat there for a while, reminiscing the good times.  Both their hearts are now clear from all doubts, no more lingering feelings of regret, no more "what if" scenarios playing in their heads. They talked about Kihyun's time abroad, how he has made great friends along the way, and how he found out about Hyunwoo's engagement. Of course, the culprit was Lee Minhyuk. "So, what's the plan now?" Kihyun looks for an answer in Hyunwoo's eyes.

"I'm gonna propose to him," Hyunwoo announces with clenched fists, for some reason even just saying it is making him nervous.

"Aren't you already engaged?"

"Yes, but I want to hear him say yes. I want him to know that I want to be with him not just because of some old tradition."

"That's so you. How do you plan on doing it though?"

Hyunwoo checks his phone before answering Kihyun, he presses a part of the screen and brings it up to his ear, "Not to worry. I have help on the way."

Kihyun rises from his seat while Hyunwoo's on the phone. He heads towards the counter and orders another cup of latte and a scone to go with it. The barista nicely told him that he'd bring it to their table once it's ready. He gave the cafe worker a polite smile and made his way back to Hyunwoo. Then, he hears the door chimes and a tall, slender man makes direct eye contact with him. The man scans the cafe, at one point making eye contact with Kihyun again, and then proceeds to make his way to Hyunwoo. Kihyun follows and just looks at Hyunwoo, dumbstruck. "Kihyunnie, come sit. I'll introduce you. This is Hyungwon, one of Hoseok's best friends."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Kihyun. Hyung," Kihyun turns to Hyunwoo, wide-eyed, "I need you to tell me that he's a model."

"Nope. Hyungwon's a kindergarten teacher."

Kihyun whips his head towards Hyungwon, "Would you like to model?"

"Sounds troublesome. I'm just here because Hyunwoo-hyung told me he needs my help," Hyungwon pushes his hair back, and it was taking all of Kihyun's willpower not to drag him to his studio for an impromptu photo shoot.

Hyunwoo laughs, clearly finding all of this amusing, "Don't bother with Hyungwon. Minhyuk's been pressuring him into modeling every time we have get-togethers since they met, and he has yet to crack."

"I'll be the one to crack him, and then I'll rub it all over Minhyuk's face."

"Can you guys not talk about me like I'm not in front of you?" Hyungwon's resting his chin on his hand, looking completely bored, "Why did you even call me here?"

"Hyungwon," the atmosphere suddenly turned tense-almost as if Hyunwoo was about to confess to a crime, "I'm proposing to Hoseok, and I need your help."

Hyungwon leans back against his seat and crosses his arms across his chest, "Interesting."

"So? Are you in?" Hyunwoo leans forward, his eyebrows knitted to show Hoseok's friend that he's serious.

It took Hyungwon a while, pretending to be thinking hard. He would look over to Hyunwoo to check on the man's face, try to read what he's thinking. Soon, Hyungwon extends a hand over to Hyunwoo's side, a sly smile on his face, "What can I help you with?"

"Tons of things," Hyunwoo accepts the handshake, giddy with excitement for what's to come.


	8. The L-word

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hyunwoo and Hoseok finally finds time to be alone together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pls read with [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5zuvs8EZDY) in mind. thank you

The sudden knocking at the door startles Hoseok, almost dropping the bowl of brownie batter he'd been caressing for the past ten minutes-he wants to be sure that the mixture is smooth like the one in the video he's following. Hyunwoo has been quite busy with what he described as "stuff and things" for the past few weeks, and it's left the house lonely, Hoseok even more so.

After watching a few videos online to get rid of his boredom, he decided to take on baking. At first, it was only meant to keep him occupied, but after a couple of weeks, he genuinely started enjoying it. He even brought some of his creations to the kindergarten.  _Once Hyunwoo's less busy,_ Hoseok thought,  _I wanna try baking together._

"Just one second!" He quickly wipes his hands on his apron and taps the pause button on his tablet, scurrying to the door.

A large bouquet of pink baby's breath greets him, and a smiling Hyunwoo peeks through the flowers. "Hey."

"Hey," Hoseok couldn't stop himself from smiling ear to ear.

"For you."

"Yeah." Hoseok bypasses the flowers and goes straight into Hyunwoo's arms. He places his head on Hyunwoo's shoulder, making sure that he still fits perfectly.

"Missed me?" Hyunwoo lets out a small laugh and rests his cheek on Hoseok's shoulder, his arms tightly wrapped around Hoseok's waist.

He feels Hoseok nod his head against his neck, "Lots."

* * *

”No, wait. Hyung, I think you need to turn right here.” Changkyun scratches his head, confused by the map displayed on his smartphone.

”Changkyun-ah. I asked you to come with me because I thought it’ll be easier with two people. But right now, you’re proving me wrong.” Hyungwon says it with his monotonous voice, but the younger could feel a killing intent.

”You never even told me what this is about. You just dragged me out of my apartment without telling me anything,” Changkyun says in protest. “Did you know that I was just planning on lazing around all day, listening to new music releases?”

”But with me, you’ll get to eat well.” Hyungwon finally hooked Changkyun.

”Okay, but you still haven’t told me where we’re going.”

”We’re scouting for some place where some guy can propose.”

”Hyung, you’re moving too quickly. You’ve been to two dates with this new girl.” Changkyun presses his free hand against his mouth, pretending to be scandalized.

”It’s not for me, dumbass.”

* * *

The taste of brownies turned into sickly sweet kisses on Hoseok's lips, soft and tender. In between kisses, Hyunwoo whispers, _I've missed you_ repeatedly against his skin, and he can't help but lean into every word. He wants to say it back; I _missed you too. So much,_ but he didn't want to let go of Hyunwoo's lips. Hoseok cups Hyunwoo's face, eager to keep going. He moves from Hyunwoo's plump, cherry lips, to his cheeks, down to his jaw, needy and hungry for more. It brings out laughter deep from Hyunwoo's stomach - his eyes disappearing into his cheeks.

"Hyunwooooo," Hoseok whines, "what's so funny?"

"Sorry," Hyunwoo lets out another fit of laughter, his arms still around Hoseok's waist, "sorry Seokkie. It's just the first time I've seen you so eager."

Hoseok buries his head on Hyunwoo's neck for the second time that day, "I told you I missed you, and you laugh at me." Hyunwoo can hear the sulkiness in his voice.

"I know. I'm sorry, baby." Hyunwoo coaxes Hoseok off his shoulders and perfectly fits his cheeks between his hands, giving it subtle pinches-because Hyunwoo can't resist the softness of Hoseok's cheeks. His eyes meet Hoseok's-the same watery eyes that captured him since the moment they met. He studies Hoseok's face-intently, memorizing every detail. The shape of his eyebrows, how his lips slightly curve upwards despite not smiling, his ears perfectly shaped like two halves of a heart. Suddenly, his chest felt like a dam about to overflow.

"Hyunwoo?" Hoseok tilts his head, still in Hyunwoo's hands, he places careful fingers on them.

"I love you."

He felt Hoseok's whole body tense up, his eyes glimmering more than it was a second ago. It felt like forever, them just staring at each other, not saying a thing. Hoseok's eyes are threatening tears, and Hyunwoo's still unsure what he just blurted out. The buzzing of his phone breaks the silence, and he's about to give all of his fortunes to whoever is calling him at this moment. 

"Sorry babe, I-I need to take this call." Hoseok nods his head, still unable to say anything. He watches as Hyunwoo disappears into his room, his ears turning the brightest shade of red.

* * *

Changkyun's phone starts buzzing, displaying a photo of Hoseok with a pineapple headband-taken during their Christmas party two years ago- effectively making him useless as Hyungwon's GPS. "Hoseok-hyung's calling, I'll put it on speaker."  He presses the pick-up button and greets Hoseok, "Hyung.l, I’m with Wonnie-hyung right now."

"Kyunnie. Come over and punch me, I think I'm dreaming."

"Huh?" He gives Hyungwon a puzzled look, while the older looks like he’s connected the dots.

”Hyunwoo...” Hoseok trails off, making Changkyun even more worried.

”Please tell me you didn’t break up. He’s my absolute favourite out of all the people you’ve dated. And that includes my cousin.” Hyungwon chortles, remembering that one summer when Hoseok definitely dated Changkyun’s relative.

”No! God, no. Everything’s great. So great.” A short pause, “He just told me he loves me.”

Changkyun lets out a shrill sound, clearly excited from the development. “Hyung! What did you say!? Did you say it back!?”

”I just kinda...froze? And then his phone started going off and then the moment was over.”

”Where is he right now? Why are you calling us instead of saying it back?”

”I told you! He had to answer a business call.” Changkyun hears Hoseok groan on the other end of the line, “I probably looked like a complete shithead. My mouth was just hanging open the entire time.”

”Anyways. Hyung, we can’t really help you with this one. You love him too, right?” Hyungwon chimes in, “Changkyun, hang up the phone and let him figure this one out himself.”

”Wait. What the fuck. Hyungwon.”

”What Hyungwon-hyung wants, Hyungwon-hyung gets. Bye, hyung!” Changkyun sings his goodbye before hanging up, hearing Hoseok’s storm of complaining get cut off. He turns towards Hyungwon who’s skillfully parallel parking in front of a cafe, “Holy shit????”

”Yeah.” Hyungwon unbuckles his seatbelt, “Oh, and I need to tell you that the one proposing? The one we’re helping right now? It’s Hyunwoo-hyung.”

“Oh my goooood,” Changkyun’s wide-eyed once again, his mouth closing and opening like he’s a fish out of water.

* * *

”Minhyuk-ah. What’s up?” Hyunwoo’s out of breath. It had felt like he ran a marathon from the living room to his bedroom. He doesn’t even know why he ran away from Hoseok.

”You okay? Were you working out? You’re panting real hard.”

”No. Yeah,yeah. I was working out. What’s up?” Hyunwoo also doesn’t know why he’s lying to Minhyuk. Actually, he knows exactly why he’s hiding it from Minhyuk: the guy’s got a big mouth.

”I finally got in contact with the jeweller that we previously featured in the magazine. He said he’d like you to personally talk to her.”

”Thanks, Minhyuk.” He finally caught his breath, “I owe you one.”

“Of course you do. Do you know how hard it was to even get in touch with her? She’s so busy. If you weren’t Son Hyunwoo-“

Hyunwoo cuts him off, “Yes! Thank you, Minhyuk! I owe you my life! Please send me her contact info and I’ll talk to her right away.”

He plops down on his bed and stares at the ceiling. He said it. He really told Hoseok. It just happened. It was so sudden, even he was caught off guard. But when he looked into Hoseok’s eyes, he couldn’t contain the words from spilling out of his mouth. “I love you,” he said.

He doesn’t regret it, though it may have been a spur of the moment. He had wanted to say it during his proposal. He’s not really the cheesy type, but he knew that it would’ve made Hoseok so happy if he had said it then.

A knock on the door interrupts his thoughts and he hears Hoseok on the other side, “Hyunwoo, can I come in?”

Hyunwoo props himself up with his elbows, “Yeah. Come in.” Hyunwoo peeks his head through the door and it makes him laugh, “What are you doing? Come in.”

Hoseok pads across the room to Hyunwoo’s bed. “Can I lie down next to you?”

”Yeah.”

They just stare at the ceiling for a while, lying there side by side. Hoseok closes his eyes and focuses on Hyunwoo’s breathing, it makes him feel calm. It’s peaceful. His hand slowly makes it’s way to Hyunwoo’s, their fingers intertwining. He sucks in a deep breath,  _here goes nothing._ “Hyunwoo.”

Hyunwoo gives him a satisfied hum as a reply, “Hoseok.”

”I love you, too.” He can feel the heat creep up from his neck to his cheeks. He also feels Hyunwoo shifting around, and the next thing he knows Hyunwoo’s on top of him, elbows on either side of his head.

The kisses that followed were even sweeter and gentler - he didn’t even know that was possible - than the ones they shared earlier. Hyunwoo’s fingers are subconsciously playing with his ears - which makes Hoseok giggle a little - and he wraps his arms around Hyunwoo’s neck.

In between the flurry of kisses and  _I love you_ s, Hoseok manages to break away to catch his breath. Hyunwoo gently bumps foreheads with him, his eyes closed and his breathing as ragged as Hoseok’s.

With their lips only a couple of centimetres apart, Hyunwoo whispers it to him, “Shin Hoseok, let’s get married.”

Hoseok closes in the couple of centimetres between them, sealing it with a kiss. He breaks away and nods, and with the brightest eyes Hyunwoo has ever seen he says:

”Let’s get married, Son Hyunwoo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> will hyungwon and changkyun’s efforts all be in vain? idk man


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The whole crew's here!

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Son. I'm Kim Rina. Thank you so much for meeting with me today," the woman offers Hyunwoo her right hand. She presents herself with a soft smile and kind eyes. Her hand - Hyunwoo notes as she accepts the handshake - is soft and delicate, a perfect match for her designs.

"Please," Hyunwoo is using his business smile, "I should be the one thanking you for this opportunity."

Kim Rina. A woman who has made a name for herself with her delicate, simple, yet luxurious jewelry designs. She is currently the most sought out jewelry designer in all of Korea, particularly for celebrities and their red carpet events. Minhyuk has talked about her a handful of times, boasting about how he managed to get an exclusive interview with her for his magazine.

Hyunwoo remembered her pieces when he sheepishly told Hyungwon that he doesn't have a ring to propose with yet. He knows that she's a perfect fit for Hoseok's ring. Just like her jewelry, Hoseok gives you an air of tenderness, and Hyunwoo wants his ring to match him.

"If you don't mind, shall we start?" Rina ushers Hyunwoo to her desk as she sits behind it. A sketchpad and a pencil sit neatly in front of her. Hyunwoo clears his throat after sitting down, feeling the bit of awkwardness between the two of them.

Rina grabs her pencil and twirls it between her finger, eyes locking with Hyunwoo's. "Alrighty. Let's get down to business. Minhyuk told me that you wanted to meet me, but I'm still not entirely sure why."

"I want an engagement ring," Hyunwoo blurts out the words. Almost too fast for his liking.

"Ah," Rina tries to stop the upward curl forming in her lips, "so the rumors are true."

Hyunwoo scratches the back of his head. "Yeah. The formal announcement will in Minhyuk's magazine. Next issue. But I wanted to do an actual proposal. You know, kneel in front of him and all that stuff. I think he deserves that."

Rina chuckles. "Can I be frank with you, Mr. Son? I never took you for the romantic type. Especially with some of the paparazzi photos."

Hyunwoo almost chokes on air, "I didn't know you were the type to look at such things."

"Trust me, with my clientele; I need to be up to date with the latest happenings."

A man in his early twenties - Rina's secretary, Hyunwoo assumes - enters the room with a tray of tea. Rina thanks the man with a smile and brings back her attention to Hyunwoo, "So, Mr. Son-"

"Please, call me Hyunwoo."

Rina nods, "In that case, call me Rina." She gives her pencil another twirl, "So, Hyunwoo. Who's the lucky one?"

* * *

"Yes. That's right. I want the venue for the whole night. Yes. Thank you very much. Please call me if there's any problem." Hyungwon lets out a sigh of relief. He's been busy for weeks helping Hyunwoo with this engagement, and he's pretty sure he just ended the last phone call for the event. He doesn't even know why he agreed to help Hyunwoo. Wouldn't it have been better if he can just lay in bed and wait for Hoseok to group facetime him and Changkyun, screaming about Hyunwoo's proposal? But no. Somehow, his brain decided that this is the time to be a caring friend.

His phone buzzes again, and it took everything in him to not just chuck it against the wall. Thankfully, it was Hoseok's face occupying his screen, pinching his cheek and scrunching his nose. "Hyung."

"Wonnie! Bring Changkyun and come over. Minhyuk and Jooheonie are here!" He can hear loud screaming in the background, who he confidently assumes is Minhyuk.

"I'm literally about to go to sleep." Hyungwon closes his laptop to focus on his conversation.

"Come onnnnnn. Give your hyung some of your time." It's incredible how he can vividly see Hoseok's pouting face despite not being in front of him.

He sighs. "Fine. Give us a little bit of time, and we'll be there."

"Yeah!" Hoseok giggles, "You're the best."

Hyungwon sighs and dials Changkyun's number. It rings several times before he is inevitably sent to voicemail. He sighs and heads towards his closet. Might as well get dressed while trying to contact the youngest. He pulls out an oversized black sweatshirt and a pair of jeans, matching it with a black bucket hat and his favorite pair of runners. He grabs his keys and wallets and pockets them - he's never been a fan of bringing bags.

He's already fully dressed when Changkyun decided to pick up his calls. "Took you long enough. Get ready. I'll be there to pick you up in ten."

"Where the f-" Hyungwon hangs up the phone before Changkyun could finish his question.

* * *

Old school hip-hop booms throughout the house, startling Hyunwoo who just got home from a day full of meetings. It's already past midnight and it's taking everything in him to comprehend what is going on. He looks around and observes the chaos the living room has become. Bags of take-out, cans of beers surrounding the coffee table, and a couple of bodies lying on the floor - Minhyuk and Jooheon specifically. Hyungwon's the first one to notice his presence.

"Oh, hey." he greets Hyunwoo, lazily lounging on one of the loveseats, holding beer on the one hand and checking his phone with the other.

"Hey..." Hyunwoo loosens his tie, "what's up?"

"Chillin'."

"Nice."

"Hyunwoo? Is that Hyunwoo?" Hoseok groans. Hyunwoo can hear him, but he's nowhere to be seen. He scans the space to figure out where his boyfriend is. He does a body count, _Jooheon-one. Minhyuk-two. Hyungwon-three. Oh, Changkyun's here, too-four._ He spots a pair of feet sticking out behind one of the couches.

"Seokkie? What are you doing there?" Hoseok gives him a faint smile as a reply.

He feels someone poke his shoulder, and he finally hears Changkyun's voice. "He's just a little drunk. Seok-hyung's a lightweight."

"I think this is the first time in literal years that he drank alcohol. So I'm not surprised a few beers already got him," Hyungwon adds.

"Minhyuk."

"Yes, hyung!" He jokingly stands in attention, trying to get a reaction from Hyunwoo.

"Care to explain how this happened? You told me you're just coming over to give Hoseok a copy of the magazine," Hyunwoo sighs, grabbing Hoseok from the wrists to try and sit him up.

"Yes, hyung! But you see, hyung! I just thought it was appropriate to celebrate his first magazine issue, so I brought along some beer and a Jooheon, hyung!"

"Okay, babe, how about we get you to our room, huh?" Hyunwoo wraps Hoseok's arms around his shoulders, their bodies tightly pressed against each other. "How did Hyungwon and Changkyun get here?"

"Hoseok-hyung invited us over," Hyungwon chimes in. "He was probably a little tipsy by then."

"Hyunwoo," Hoseok catches Hyunwoo's face between his hands, softly squishing his cheeks.

"Hotheok, you're thquishing a little too hard."

"Don't be mad at them, okay? Be nice to them." He lets go of Hyunwoo's cheeks and rests his head on his shoulder.

"Yes, yes. I'll be nice to them."

"Good. Here. Kiss. Reward." Hoseok puckers his lips, ready to land a kiss on Hyunwoo's lips.

And Hyunwoo was ready to accept it. Until he saw four of their friends in the corner of his eyes, watching with anticipating eyes. "Hoseok! Give the reward to me next time, okay? Let's get you to our room."

"Okay!" Hoseok nods and smiles, "I'll give you a kiss in our room!"

"Ew." That was Minhyuk.

"Ugh." Jooheon.

"Blegh." Changkyun.

"Hyungwon. I need to talk to you. Give me a sec."

* * *

It took a bit longer than expected to get Hoseok ready for bed. He was unexpectedly clingy, trying to get Hyunwoo to sleep next to him. At one point, he almost choked on his tie when Hoseok jerked him towards the bed. Hyunwoo estimates that it took him ten minutes to convince Hoseok to sleep. All it took was a kiss on the forehead and a promise that he'll join Hoseok later.

The living room view amuses Hyunwoo. Minhyuk, Changkyun, and Jooheon are squeezing themselves into a loveseat while Hyungwon occupies a couch all to himself. Jooheon announces Hyunwoo, "Hyung. How's he?"

"He'll be fine. Turns out he's a little more playful when he's drunk."

"What are you guys going to talk about?" Minhyuk's cuddling Jooheon, the younger looking much too used to it.

"Should they be here?" Hyungwon nods towards Minhyuk's direction.

"I don't think there's any point in hiding it from them now." Hyunwoo slumps into one of the seats, letting his body get swallowed by the softness. He lets out a groan and tilts his head back.  _It's been a long day._

"The venue's ready. I requested a traditional Korean full-course meal, just like you requested. They asked if you have any preference on who will be creating the menu. Any chefs come to mind, hyung?" Hyungwon's reading notes he had taken down through the weeks of preparing. He may not look the part, but he takes his tasks seriously.

"Mmm. I don't really care who prepares it. As long as it's good." His eyes are still closed, but he's trying hard not to fall asleep. This is way too important. "You said Changkyun's in charge of the music? How's it going?"

"Yeah. I hired a Mariachi band, just like you asked." The youngest is on his phone, stone-faced and seemingly not paying attention to the conversation.

Hyunwoo finally sits up - Changkyun's words slapping him awake. "Please tell me you're joking, Changkyun-ah."

"I think Hoseok-hyung's going to love it." He lets his eyes leave his phone for a second, checking to see the look on Hyunwoo's face.

"You little-"

"I'm kidding! No Mariachi band. I figured you'd want it just to be you and Hoseok-hyung, so I just prepared a mixtape with the help of Mr. Joohoney right here," Changkyun pats an unsuspecting Jooheon on the back. "All they need to do is play it for you."

"Oh. That was for this?" Jooheon's lying on Minhyuk's lap, still clueless. "But what exactly is this?"

"It's for my proposal. To Hoseok."

The room sees Minhyuk's eyes widen. And everyone prepares themselves for what is to come. "What! What proposal? You never said anything about it. Hyung. I could've helped you with it. I have so many ideas for this. Oh, my God. I am devastated."

Hyunwoo cuts off Minhyuk's rambling with a simple "But you did help me. I have the perfect ring for Hoseok thanks to you."

"Awww. Hyung!" Minhyuk gets up from his seat and runs to Hyunwoo's side, giving him a big hug. "You didn't tell me that appointment was for an engagement ring! I could've gotten that appointment way earlier!"

"It's fine, Minhyukkie," Hyunwoo chuckles, giving Minhyuk a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Just getting me that appointment was more than enough."

"Sorry to ruin the moment," even though Hyungwon did just that, "but is it safe to assume that everything's ready to go?"

"Yup. The only thing needed to complete this plan is Hoseok himself." Hyunwoo smiles to himself, imagining Hoseok's reaction to what he has prepared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. So. Proposal. Next Chapter.

**Author's Note:**

> this work is definitely inspired by a BL i once read.  
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/shownulover69)  
> [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/nuho/)  
> come talk to me (o´∀`o)


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